por ion in them and not bee transformed to a spirituall state and frame of soule to love and delight in holy things and to despise that which is contrary And when he is in such a state what is all the world to him What cares he for riches or pleasures or honours when the soule sees incomparable better things Whom have I in heaven but thee and what doe I desire on earth in comparison of thee saith David When hee had a little meditated of the vanity of earthly things and saw the goodnesse of God to his children It is good for mee to draw neere unto God It is a speech of conviction the soule is convinced that it is good and best to draw neare to God in holy meanes and in holy duties to keep close to him and then it cries out whom have I in heaven but thee Therefore let us never rest in such a knowledge of holy things as doth not convince us of the goodnesse of them and of our interest in them so farre as may draw and worke upon our affections to imbrace those things When we finde our hearts and affections wrought on that holy things as they are excellent in themselves so they have an answerable place in our hearts that as they are holy and high and best so they have a high place in our hearts then a man is in the estate of a Christian or else a man may very well doubt of his estate when he can heare of heaven and happinesse and of the excellency of the children of God that they are heires of heaven c. and his heart bee not affected with these things he may well question himselfe doe I believe these things here are rich and precious promises but where is my precious faith to close with and to imbrace these things doe I believe them If Idoe how is it that I am no more affected with them and so let us stand in the meditation of the excellencies of Religion so long till our hearts be affected and warmed with them This will follow affections a desire to thinke oft of them as David joynes both together Oh! how doe I love thy law it is my meditation continually That that a man loves hee oft thinks of that stirres up love and love makes him oft consider of it and when it is thus with a man hee is in such 〈◊〉 condition as these holy Patriarchs fit to live and die by his faith They saw them and were perswad of them and imbraced them Therefore I say we may know whether we have this spirituall light whether wee have true faith or no if we have these imbracings if wee be so perswaded of them that wee imbrace them with delight and desire and love and joy if we make choyse of them and esteeme them highly and cleave constantly to that which is revealed to us then it is a divine light and perswasion because wee imbrace them Certainely there is nothing in religion divine unlesse the affections bee carried with it True faith carries the whole soule to whole Christ out of a mans whole selfe It carries the understanding to see and the will to chuse and to cleave it carries the affections to joy and delight and love it carries all Therefore those that when holy things 〈◊〉 discovered they have not a high esteem of them that they priâ—…e them not above earthly things that they cleave not to them with a disesteeme of other things that they joy not in them as their best portion that they doe not imbrace them there is no true faith at all for where there is true faith there is this imbracing God hath made the soule as I said for these heavenly things and when the soule and they close together there is a sweet imbracing then the soule is raysed above it selfe the soule is quieted and stilled and satisfied There is nothing in the world else will better the soule but the imbracing of these things nothing else will beautifiâ—… and adorne the soule in Godâ—… sight our soules are made forthem our desires are made to imbrace them our love and oâ—… joy to delight in them our wills to cleave to them and â—…ke choyse of them above other things We abuse our soules they are not made 〈◊〉 close and graspe with the world they are noâ—… made for thâ—…se things that are baseâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selves we abase our soules A coveâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himselfe wo sethan â—…is 〈◊〉 he is called the world because hee hath nothing in him better than the world If we imbrace Christ and the promises of salvation the things of anotherlife the imbracing of these rayseth the soule to bee excellent like the things and it doth 〈◊〉 and rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the heavic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middle pâ—…int of the earth and light bodies rest 〈◊〉 to their 〈◊〉 So the soule it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith resting in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soule â—…rying it to the thing it is made for 〈◊〉 these holy men in all the â—…yles and 〈◊〉 bles of tho world in all confusions thâ—… soules of these blessed 〈◊〉 rested in Christ. We may say of all earthly things as 〈◊〉 hath this sentence of them Micah 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hence here is not your rest so we may say to the soule concerning riâ—…hes and honours and friends here is 〈◊〉 yours rest You were not made to imbrace and to cleave to these things Our rest is in Christ and in the good things we have by him These good 〈◊〉 imbraced him with their whole soule This shewes that many men have not faith they know not what it meanes Where there is trâ—…e faith there is alway love and joy and delight in the things believed it carries the soule with it In what measure we apprehend the goodnesse of a thing in that measure our love is to it In what measure wee apprehend the greatnesse and fitnesse of a thing in that measure our affections are carried to it The understanding reports it to the affections of love and liking and they are naturally carried to that which the soule makes report of to bee usefull the understanding makes them follow it therfore it is a signe our understandings are not perswaded our eyes are not opened when wee love not good persons and good things when wee cleave not to them above all things Those that do not imbrace and cleave in their will and affections to good things let them say what they will they doe not believe If there were but a light conjecture in men if there were but a guessing that there were such a happinesse and that there were such horrible â—…orments for sinners that live in sinne they would live otherwise then they doe Therefore deadnesse in the affections discovers Atheisme in the judgment and heart it shewes there is unbeliefe for how is it possible that a man
should not be carried in his affections to a good that he is perswaded of and how is it possible he should not loath ill and dest 〈◊〉 things If he were perswaded that hell were such as it is and that these courses lead to hell and destruction and estrange him from the favour of God whose loving kindnesse is better then life it self if men were perswaded of 〈◊〉 things in any strength their soules would not be affected as they are Therefore if wee would know whether nature be corrupted or no we may do it by this You have some men that are conceited especially when they are in their ruffe and have all things plenty Divines talke much of the corruption of nature and such things they think all is well O! but do but lay these things together the excellency of the things promised and the terrour of the things threaâ—…ed and our â—…ndisposition to these things in regard of perswasion that we live as if we did not think these things to be true What a disposiâ—…on oâ—… soule is that that cals divine truths into question To believe the lies of our owne hearts and the temptations of the devill and the world that lies in mischiefe before the 〈◊〉 ved truth of GOD it selfe that is sealed 〈◊〉 the oath of God And yet the heart of man 〈◊〉 naturally carried to believe these things moâ—… than God himselfe Witnesse the lives of meâ—… who have dead carâ—… base affections 〈◊〉 regard of heavenly things they shew 〈◊〉 they are not perswaded of them notwithstanding all the sweete arguments and perswasions that the Scripture hath They doe not professe that they call them in question yet they live as if they made no doubt that they are all false It is a folly not to believe those things that are sealed by so many evidences as divine things are but it is more desperate folly to live as if wee did not believe them at all If these things were digested they would make us out of love with our owne naturall estate and to labour for a spirit of faith to perswade our soules both that those things are so indeed that God hath revealed and to get assured perswasion of our part and interest in them Indeed a dead faith is no faith at all it is the effect of the whole Epistle of S. Iames that it is no faith that is dead it doth not worke upon the heart and affections nor the life and conversation a dead faith is no faith at all Let us shame our selves therefore Lord doe I professe I see things above nature that I see Christ in heaven and see my selfe there and do I professe that I am perswaded that the word of God is true and am I no more affected where is my love where is my joy where is my comfort doth my heart runne after other things that professe my selfe to bee perswaded of better things Let us never rest but bee angry and wroth with our hearts and affections for they are made for these promises our precious faith is made to imbrace precious promises and to carry the whole soule to them And let us helpe this with complaining of our selves and with prayer Lord thou hast discovered excellent things in thy word and hast perswaded me Lord open my heart the heart is thy throne the heart and will and affections thou dealest with especially Lord incline my heart inlarge my heart The LORD hath promised in the new covenant to teach our bowels to love Lord teach my heart to love thee Thou hast opened my understanding to conceive holy things or else I had never beene able to understand thee and thy truth teach my bowels also to love teach them to cleave to the things take off my love my joy and delight from earthly things and plant them where they should be inlarge them the right way fill my heart with thy selfe as thou hast made it for thy selfe This should be our desire What be the affections wherby the soule imbraceth these good things it is perswaded of The soule imbraceth these things in the affections of faith and hope in the first place for faith is an emptiegrace in it selfe it is carried to somewhat out of it selfe that it imbraceth and layeth hold on and hope is with faith alway Together with the work of faith and hope there is a sanctifyed affection of the imbracing soule there is a love of the things promised which is imbracing and a love of the meanes and likewise joy and delight in them expressed by thankfulnesse As you see the Patriarchs in the story of Genesis when God discovered holy things to them aâ—…resh that he would give them the land of Canaan and the Messias to come and all that happinesse there was thankfulnesse presently they built Altars to God And which alway accompanies thankfulnesse humility As Abraham Genesis 17. 3. downe he falls when God made him such a large promise he fals downe on his face as if he were unworthy of such a thing so this disposition alway accompanies a soule that imbraceth together with faith and hope that leads the affections after them there is love expressed in a constant obedience and care of duty to God many wayes As it is an affection that will not bee concealed And joy and delight with thankfulnesse and humility considering the excellency of the things and our unworthinesse that we cannot but have this disposition alway thankfulnes and humility And likewise contentment to end our dayes a disposition that followes imbracing in faith for where imbracing of faith and love is in an imperfectestate there will be joy when that comes that makes way to full imbracing that is in heaven it selfe as Simeon rejoyced when hee imbraced Christ in his armes what did the old man thinke we when he came to heaven when Christ and he met there And Abraham rejoyced to see CHRISTS day with the eye of faith and likewise imbraced it with faith and that wrought joy What did Abraham then when he came to heaven when he see all ended there I say death that makes way to full enjoyning and imbracing in this very respect it is not only patiently entertained of Gods children but comfortably as letting them in to the good things that they esteeme above all the world besides to the possession of Christ to heaven and happinesse Let us consider of these things To come to direct us a little about this imbracing in faith and hope and love and joy and the whole soule when the soule as it were goes out to the things wee are perswaded of How shall this be wrought upon the soule This imbracing wee see it followes upon perswasion and perswasion followes seeing they saw them farre off and were perswaded of them and thereupon they imbraced them Therefore let us labour for a cleare understanding of divine things That which the eye sees the heart grieves for in ill and that that
that grave and Reverend Person Prayer gets blessings but thankefulnesse keeps them so thankefulnesse to God for that which is past for so many Deliverances is a means to preserve Gods love and care of us still that he wil be our Buckler and castle hold and al defence thankfulness will do this We are over prone to looke upon civill grievances which are to be regarded and helped in season but naturally our nature is subject to complaine more then to be thankefull we are so sensible of ill as to pray for remedy but then let us alway be thankfull to God for the good we have had these many years together and the good that still blessed be God wee enjoy What cause have we to be thankfull that we are as the three young men in the Furnace Al Europe hath been in combustion and wee have beene untouched and safe in the middest of the Furnace under a quiet government What cause have wee to blesse God fâ—… continuing the liberties of the Gospel where by the soule is built up in saving knowledge and Ignorance banished It was a fault in Rehoboams time in the beginning of his Raigne it was a fault in these men they could complaine of the government of Salomon and certainly there were many grievances in Salomons He was a great Builder and it was not without some cause they complained Yet notvvithstanding Salomons time vvas a blessed time and they had great cause to blesse God for the government of Solomon Novv it is very likely in the story that they forgat it and only lighted upon some grievance I beseech you let us in these times stirrpour hearts to be thankful as upon other occasions so upon occasion of this day we are to blesse God for this glorious deliverance vvhich vvee have spoken of 〈◊〉 againe and againe and therefore we need â—…t be much in the particular setting out that â—…inorous and prodigious fact that gives the â—…y occasion to be remembred as it hath oft â—…ne before Let that Remembrance I say â—…re us up to thankefulnesse to shew our â—…ankefulnesse and love to that truth that God â—…th defended Hath God beene a wilderâ—…sse to us As the Prophet complaines hath â—…ligion done us any harme why should â—…e grow cold and luke-warme why should 〈◊〉 decay in our first love why should we be 〈◊〉 unfruitfull when God hath given us so â—…any encouragements to be thankefull and 〈◊〉 as he hath done I beseech you let 〈◊〉 consider with our selves if we be not more â—…ankefull upon these occasions for these deliâ—…erances and worke our hearts to love Reliâ—…on and to hate Poperie more it will be just â—…ith God that they shall bee thornes in our â—…des more then they have beene and pricks 〈◊〉 our eyes that wee shall see what a dangerous â—…ction they are and what case we are in For â—…ose that are drunk with the Cup of this Harâ—…t it takes away their wits from them those â—…hat worship Images and stocks they are stocks â—…hemselves Though the danger be great to â—…hemselves yet they labour to make others â—…orse than themselves there is no trusting to â—…hem we should more feare them then forrain â—…nemies both reasons of State and reasons of Religion and reasons of our owne safety all should be forcible to have a speciall regard to prevent the growth of Popery For our selves that heare of the destruction of this Iericho we have heard what Iericho was before it was destroyed For ought we know God may destroy Ierusalem as well as Iericho and by a worse people then themselves as the Prophet saith Ezek. 17. by a base people It is no matter though others be worse then ourselves God when he plagues his people will doe it by worse then themselves and cast the Rod into the fire when he hath done Ashâ—… the Rod of my wrath Esay 10. Therefore let us looke to our selves that we bee thankfull to God It will be no plea that we have bin safe thus long thus many years for these people of Iericho God let them alone foure hundred years as it is in Gen. 15. They were threatned but the sinnes of the Amorites were not yet 〈◊〉 Iericho was a part of that Countrie but when their sins were full then they were destroyed God had patience foure hundred years to the sins of the Amorites to this people And at last judgement came upon them fearfully So howsoever God hath beene forbearing and long suffering towards us Yet let us looke about us oh destruction may be neer It is not sufficient to thinke that God will destroy Antichrist that the wals of Iericho shall down he may doe that and yet he may destroy us there may bedanger toward us too And it is no comfort to them neither that God will punish us or that easeth not their overthrow neither â—…or if hee doe so to the greene Tree what will hee â—…oe to the dry If his Children bee whipped with Scorpions what will he doe to Rebels â—…f the Children of God scarcely be saved where â—…hall the sinner and ungodly appeare If the Children taste of the wrath of God then the enemies shall taste of the dregs of his wrath it is no comfort for them for their Doome is set downe Babylon is fallen It will not be so much comfort to us that God will destroy them as it will be to looke to our selves in time before a peremptorie Decree come forth to make our peace with God The King of Sodom and others were delivered by Abraham but aâ—…terwards we see how fearfully they perished Pharaoh was let alone for a time yet after hee was destroyed in the Sea Ierusalem had warning after warning yet afterwards it was destroyed so though we have had deliverance upon deliverance yet if we make not more of Religion and grow more in detestation of that Religion that God would have us set our selvs against it will be just with God to punish us and to lay us open to them that wee have sinfully favoured Wee see what great matters faith will doe in the use of meanes though they be poore weake base meanes Therefore let us set upon Popish Religion in our places and callings in a spirit of faith in the use of meanes and let us never thinke we are too weake and now they are mighty and strong It was said to Luther when hee began to write against the Pope oh poore Monke get thee into thy Cell and say Lord have mercy upon thee dost thou thinke to overcome the whole world with thy writing so the wals of Iericho may seeme so mighty the opposite power that we are to set against as if wee should loose our labour to set against it but whatsoever is opposite to Christ we have a promise it shall be overthrowne Let us in a spirit of faith set upon them in the use of meanes and God wil make it good as in former times And for all
there be a sutablenesse of obedience to the word thereafter as the word is Let us have a spirituall desire to these things to imitate the holy man of God as we desire to share in his comforts I will follow this point of the answerablenesse of obedience a little further and then come to the particular of seeking Let our obedience bee every way answerable first let the heart thinke what God saith what God commands and promiseth let the heart take the word of God the second time and ruminate on it and goe over it againe Let us looke into the word and see what is commanded and what is promised and then let the heart goe over it againe And then upon that all eage it to God Put case a man be in trouble Lord thou hast commanded Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will bâ—…re thee Psal. 50. Let the heart thinke of it and goe over that incouragement it is rather an incouragement then a command though indeed God lay a command on us to be good to our own soules it is a duty to love our selves Therefore he commands us to goe to him to seeke his face as though wee wronged him by disobedience when wee injure our selves by our peevishnesse as indeed we doe God loves us better then we love our selves let us thinke of the command and invitation thou hast commanded mee Lord and incouraged mee to come I am now in trouble experience teacheth me I come to thee thou hast said He that sitteth in darknesse and seeth no light let him trust in the name of the Lord. I am in darkenesse and see no light now I trust in thy name let the heart thinke of the promise and then alleage it to God and come with an obedient answer and cast it self upon him and trust in him We are in want perhaps and see no issue no supply thinke of Gods gracious promise I will not faile thee nor forsake thee I come to thee and claim this promise I am in covenant with thee c. So wee should take the promise thou hast said At what time soever a sinner comes to thee with a repentant heart thou wilt forgive his iniquities and though his sins were 〈◊〉 scarlet thou wilt make them as snow and white as wooll my soule thinkes of that command and I come to thee Thou hast bid all that are wearie and 〈◊〉 laden in soule that are troubled in conscience with the sense of their sins to come unto thee my heart thinkes of thy command and invitation I come to thee I am weary and heavie laden First let us thinke of the incouragement that is our warrant and then yeeld present obedience And then what will bee the issue what will spring from it when the heart and obedience joyn with the command that there is a meeting that they concentrate the heart and obedience God bids the heart obey the heart saith I doe obey when these meet the issue must bee exceeding comfortable it cannot be otherwise When the obedient heart meets God in his command in his promise In all perplexity of busines Commit thy way to the Lord and hee shall establish thy thoughts Prov. 3. Prov. 13. and other places Lord I commit my wayes to thee establish my thoughts and designes agreeable to thy will because thou hast bid mee commit my wayes to thee In the houre of death let us commend our selves to God as to a gracious and mercifull Creator 1 Pet. 4. Lord I commend to thee my soule who art the Creator of my soule and the Redeemer of it here is an obedience answerable what can be the issue of it but comfort Therefore let us learne by the example of this blessed man that when he had but a hint from God seeke yee my face answers Thy face Lord will I seeke Faith will see light at a little crevice when it sees an incouragement once a command it will soone answer and when it sees a promise halfe a promise it will welcome it it is an obedient thing The obedience of faith it beleeves and upon beleeving it goes to God As the servants of the King of Assyria they catch the word presently Thy servant Benhadad so faith it catcheth the word To put God in mind it is an excellent thing with the Prophet whosoever penned the 119. Psalme whether David or some other Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust As it is Nehem. 1. Remember Lord hee puts God in mind of his promise and so it is good often to put God in mind Lord thou hast made such and such promises I know thou canst not deny thy selfe if thou shâ—…uldest deny thy word thou must deny thy selfe thy word is thy selfe Remember thy promise wherein thou hast caused thy servant to trust If I be deceived thou hast deceived mee for thou hast given me this promise and this command This is an excellent way to deale with God as it were to wrastle with him By tâ—… promise thou hast quickned me Psal. 119. Wheâ—… I was dull and dead hearted then I thought oâ—… such and such a promise I alleage that promise and apply it by a spirit of faith and that quickned me And indeed as I said God hath made us fit to answer him and wee should study in all things to returne unto him by his spirit whatsoever God doth the heart should returne back againe love for love knowledge for knowledge seeking for seeking chusing for chusing He begins with us he chuseth us he loves us he seekes us and wee if ever we intend to be friends with God and to entertaine a holy communion as all that shall be saved must doe we should labour to have our hearts to returne to God what wee find from God first Thy face Lord will I seeke To come more particularly to this seeking which is the particular of the obedience and of the application Thy face Lord will I seeke Seeking implies that our happinesse is out of our selves it implies that there is somewhat in our selves in the application to which there must be some happinesse therefore wee goe out of our selves to seeke It is a motion and it is out of an apprehension of some want a man seekes out of some want or out of some losse or out of some duty Ether hee hath losse and therefore hee seekes or else hee wants and therefore he seeks or else he owes respect and dutie and therefore he seekes it is somewhat without a man that moves his seeking God need not seeke the creature hee hath all fulnesse in himselfe Indeed his love makes him seeke for our love to bee reconciled to him But the creature because his happinesse is out of himselfe in communion with God the Fountaine of all good he must seeke Christians must be Seekers This is the generation of Seekers Psal. 24. All mankind if ever they will
the truth of the promises then the will and affections they joyne and imbrace those things the will makes choyse of them and cleaves to them the affection of desire extends it selfe to them the affection of love imbraceth them the affection of joy delights in them Spirituall conviction alwayes drawes affection For God hath framed the soule so that upon discovery of a good oâ—… of it selfe it doth stretch out it selfe to imbrace that object the good thing presented it cannot be otherwise We see the eye it cannot but delight in beautifull objects so the understanding of itselfe it delights in true things and the will in things that are good that are delightfully good or spiritually and conveniently good to the person it cannot but be so The author of nature God doth not overthrow nature but preserves it in its owne worke therefore where hee gives a light to discover and perswade both of the truth in generall and of our particular interest in those things hee gives grace likewise to the will and affections to that part of the soule that is carried to good things to imbrace them and upon discovery of evill in that part of the soule that is affected to evill there is an aveâ—…sation and loathing of things that are in convenient and â—…itfull it must needs 〈◊〉 in the light of reason We may know whether the spirit of God have wrought any thing in 〈◊〉 by oâ—… imbracing of good things for as I said Godhath made our soules thus when the soule 〈◊〉 convinced of the truth and goodnesse of a thing and isperswaded the affections will alway follow that that is shewed to be the best Now when the spirit of God discovers to the soule the excellencies of religion to bee above all other excellencies whatsoever That the favourof God is better than life itselfe and discovers to the soule the vanity of all other things then comes the soule to imbrace them for the soule cannot but 〈◊〉 which the understanding being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 best and best for me in comparison of all other things this is now at this time all things considered best for mee to doe hereupon comes imbracing alwayes the affections follow spirituall perswasion There bee two maine branches of faith One is spirituall conviction and perswasion that things are so good and that they belong to us Another branch of faith is to goe out and close and meet with the things Vpon discovery of the excellency of the things the heart opens it selfe to let in those things It is in grace as it is in nature the heart is open upwards and pointed downeward 〈◊〉 the heart and soule of a man opens to heaven ward when those things are discovered by the spirit to bee best the spirit opens and closeth with those things A man may know what he is in religion by his affections by his affection of love for the affection of love will open to the things that are discovered to bee best whereof heeis perswaded and his affection of joy hâ—… will delight in those thingâ—… and his affection of griefe his heart will bee shut to things that are contrary and his affection of zeale in the pâ—…sute of the meanes and in opposing that that is an enemy to that good it is alway so the heart imbraceth what wee are perswaded of God hath made the affections of the soule for supernaturall things hee 〈◊〉 made our understanding to conceive of the heavenly light and those prerogatives and priviledges and hee hath made our affections to imbrace those heavenly things And then a man is in his right subordination in his right state under God he is framed as he should be he is in a right frame of soule when his soule is convinced of the excellency of the best things and when his affections of joy and love and delight of zeale and trust and all are set on those things For then a man is raysed above the condition of an ordinary man such a man is come to his perfection hee is come out of that cursed estate that naturally all are in for now the soule is set upon things that make it better than it selfe For the soule is as the things are it is carryed to when the soule is perswaded of heavenly things and of its interest in them and is carryed to them by the sway and weight of the affections of love and joy and delight which is called here im bracing then the things imbraced transforme the soule to be like them as they be heavenly and glorious and excellent there is nothing in the world to be named with them all else is â—…g and drosse then a man comes to bee holy and heavenly and spirituall hee is raysed in a condition farre above others above all othermen though hee bee never so meane in the world when his soule is enlightned and answerable to the light there is heate when there is light in the understanding and heate in the affections accordingly to imbrace then the soule is in a right temper a man is a holy and happy man therefore no wonder if upon perswasion and sight they imbraced those things Let us trie the truth of our estate by our affections by our imbracing of good things by opening our hearts to the best things by our joy and delight in them Is there a holy wonderment at them Oh! how I love thy 〈◊〉 and one day in thy courts is better than tenne thousand elsewhere and Oh the depth of his mercie and one thing have I desired of the Lord that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life When the soule stands in admiration of God and good things when it is ready to welcome Christ and heavenly things and the state of religion now away all former vanities away all lusts of youth away all confidence in beauty and strength and riches all these are but dung to the soule the soule hath seene better things there is a discovery of better things and now the respect of all other things falls downe in the soule when there is a discovery of better things The soule cannot doe otherwise when it is convinced supernaturally the same spirit that discovers better things opens the soule to â—…low them it is so with every soule that hath the true worke and stampe of the spirit in it it is set upon heavenly things it saith with Saint Paul I account all dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. There is an attractive a drawing magneticall power in heavenly things when they are propoâ—…nded to the soule by the spirit to draw the affections and to make us spirituall like themselves Let us therefore labour more and more to have our affections wrought upon As wee are in our affections we are in religion It is impossible that a Christian should be spiritually convinced that there are such excellent things belong to religion and that hee hath his part and
to hate the Whore and to eat her flesh that is to overthrow the Monasteries those Cages of uncleane Birds and those Peter-pence those exactions for indeed the Pope made England his Asse to beare his burthens It would move any mans patience to see how pittifully the Popes of Rome have abused this Iland so that we may now truly say as Christ saith If the Son make you free you are free indeed Christ hath made us free the Gospel hath made us free and ever since the comming of the Gospel wee have flourished King Henry shooke off the yoke first and after him King Edward and after him Elizabeth of blessed memory and now our gracious King So that this Vntill it begun long since to hate the Beast and to eat her flesh one thing therâ—… is yet undone To burne her with fire if they hate the Beast and eat her flesh this will câ—…me toâ—… to burne her with fire even the ten Kings that were subject to her before shall doe that Wee see wickednesse shall not thrive alwayes it shall not alwayes bee night but the Sunne shall arise at the last Impostures shal not alwayes abuse the world their madnesse shall be made manifest at length as Paul saith 2 Tim. This is our Comfort that there is an Vntill a time prefixed of God to discover and to lay open all Impostures And now the time is come that most of this should be fulfilled some of these words of God are fulfilled the Beast is hated and now the Beast is known to bee the Beast to bee cruell witnesse the blood of Saints the Murther of Kings those horrible acts that are allowed from Rome The Beast I say is now discovered and hated The Affections that are due to the Beast is hatred If ever we hatred any thing we may hate the state of Rome It is a Beast and the object of hatred and ever was and if ever I say wee hated any thing that was deserveable of our hatred it is that why do we not hate a Harlot doe we not hate an old Strumpet an old painted Strumpet doe wee not hate her that is a Bawd there was never Bawd there was never Whore that did the thousand part of that harme that this Bawd this Beast this Whore of Rome hath done drawing so many thousand soules to hell Of all the Iudgements that ever were since the beginning of the Christian world that God hath visited the pride and wickednesse of men with there was none so grievous as to suffer this Man of sinne to rule in the Church the spirituall judgement of the Papacie it is the greatest judgement of God that was ever inflicted upon any We hate them that misuse us under the pretence of love that cheat and cozen us and we delight in their punishment there was never Cheater never Cozener like this And surely so God hath fulfilled his word that shee is hated even in our Children that know but the grounds of Religion to whom Christ hath shined by the evidences of his thuth that have the Spirit of God in them they hate those Impostures those abuses of Christian Religion with which this Beast hath deluded the Christian world which shewes that they have a contrary spirit to the Spirit of God and indeed so they have for besides their own base government they maintaine the corruptions of men feeding the pride and vanity of mens natures with outward formall empty things so that the very weake ones even Children now they hate the Whore hate her Impostures hate her Cruelty hate her Lying and all I see the time is past I can goe no further â—…ut will draw to an end only a little to still us up Shall God then reveale and discover this painted Strumpet this Bawd and shall wee labour to conceale her ill shall we dawbe shall we make her better then she is shall we hinder Gods purpose Gods word is that shee shall be revealed the Princes shall hate her and consume her with fire Let every one of our purposes helpe Gods purpose and Providence and decree in this point that this shall be it is Gods purpose and whosoever stops it certainely they bring the judgement of God upon them those that would reare up â—…ericho againe wee know what befell them and they that reare up Rome that begins now to bee discovered they bring the Iudgement of God upon them God will performe this as well as he performed the other as he put it into the hearts of these Kings to betray their Kingdomes to the Beast so hee will put into their hearts to hate the Whore Now that we may hate her let every one labour in his place Ministers in their place to lay open their Impostures their cousenings and all their filthinesse whereby they deceive the people Magistrates in their place to ocuntenance the Ministers to see the lawes executed as they may These that through ignorance are seduced that are not Iesuited for there is no hope of them but others their persons many times in the policie of state may have favour but not their Religion Let us all take heed that wee grow in knowledge Let us labour to make more of the Gospel of Christ the more Christ appears in glory the more Antichrist will appeare in shame Let us labour by prayer and not give God over by prayer to plant the love of the truth in our hearts to entertaine the truth with love to value it according to the respect it deserves at our hands and let us labour to be molded into that truth to obey it else though we have it yet if wee doe not love it if wee be not transformed into it though our wits and parts be never so great we may be seduced to errour God gave over these Kings men of great place and of great parts because they did not love the truth to beleeve lies My purpose was to have shewed the danger if we do not further Gods purpose in discovering this wicked Antichrist A state wherin the Devill the Dragon is effectuall and this Book wonderoâ—…sly sets downe the danger It is another manner of danger now to relapse and to apostatize after the appearing of the glorious Gospel of Christ then it was a hundred years agoe under darkenesse and we know it to bee so of all the judgements in this world it is the greatest for God to give up a man to decay in his love to the truth to affect this cursed Religion that the sentence of God hath past upon and it must be fulfilled That they shall hate the Whore and burne her with fire that she shall be left desolate and naked But you may object Alas how is that likely to be when wee see now what strength the Beast hath gotten and how he ruâ—…fleth in the world at this time how he triumpheth and trampleth the poore Church under his feet Well it is but a living before death undoubtedly Babylon is fallen it is fallen saith Iohn
would never have created the world the Father Sonne and Holy-ghost were happy in themselves and enjoyed one another before the world was but that God delights to communicate and spread his goodnesse there had never beene a Creation nor a Redemption God useth his creatures not for defect of power that he can do nothing without them but for the spreading of his goodnesse and thereupon comes all the subordination of one creature to another and all to him Oh that we had hearts to make way for such a goodnesse as God would cast into us if wee were as wee should be Gods goodnesse is a spreading imparting goodnesse It is a common distinction there is the goodnesse of the Fountaine and the goodnesse of the Vessell that is our goodness because we contain somewhat in us that is good the goodnesse of the creature that is but the Channell or the Cisterne but the goodnesse of God is another manner of goodnesse the goodnesse of the Fountaine The Fountaine begs not from the River the Sunne borrowes not light from the Candle God begs not goodnesse from the creature Ours is a borrowed goodnesse but his is a communicative goodnesse seek my face that I may impart my goodnesse The Sun delights to spread his beames and his influenâ—… in inferiour things to make all things fruitfull such a goodnesse is in God as is in a Fountaine or in the brest that loves to ease it selfe of milke I note it that wee may conceive aright of God that is more willing to bestow good then we are to aske it hee is so willing to bestow it that he becomes a Sutor to us seeke yee my face he seekes to us to seeke him It is strange that heaven should seek to earth yet so it is Whence comes this in God the at ribute oâ—… goodnesse the spreading goodnesse in his 〈◊〉 ture that he desires to impart and to commâ—…nicate himselfe There is no envie in God he hath none above him and therefore he labours to make al good There is a mysterie in it but if some bee 〈◊〉 good the fault is in themselvs as it is a prerogative in him to make some more and some leâ—… good so there is a fault in them that I 〈◊〉 no better it is my owne fault The prerogative belongs to God we must not search into that but every man may say I might have beene better and more enlarged I did not seeke his face that hee might take occasion to â—…nlarge himselfe towards me would wee be like our heavenly Father let us labour to have large affections to have a spreading goodnesse Two things make us very like God thâ—… much concerne this point To do things freely of our selves and to doe them farre To communicate goodnesse and to communicate it faâ—…e to many The greater the fire is the further it burnes the greater the love is the further it extends and communicates it selfe There are none more like God then those that communicate what good they have to others and communicate it as farre and remote as they can to extend it to many Our Saviour Christ you see what a world were beholding to him Heaven and earth were beholding to him and the nearer a man comes â—…o Christ the more there is a kind of felfeâ—…eniall to doe good to others Saint Paul had 〈◊〉 great measure of Christ in him he was conâ—…ent to bee bestowed for the good of the Church the care of all did lie upon him A â—…ublike mind is Gods mind a publike mind is a mind that loves to do good freely and largeâ—…y to others therefore God saith seeke my face that I may have better opportunity to empty my goodnesse to you Seeke my face that is seeke my presence the face is the glasse of the soule wherein we see the mind of a man seeke my face that is seeke my mind seeke my presence as wee shall see afterward I will speake no more of that point Gods warrant or command but goe on My heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seeke Here is the worke and obedience My heart said unto thee c. Davids heart was set in a good and sanctified frame by God it was betweene God and his obedience The heart is betweene God and our obedience as it were an Embassadoâ—…r it understands from God what God will have done and then it layes a command upon the whole man The hear and conscience of man is partly divine partly humane it hath some divinity in it especially if the man be a holy man God speakes and the heart speakes God speakes to the Heart and the Heart speakes to us And oft times when we heare conscience speaking to us we neglect it and as Saint Augustine said of himselfe God spake often to me and I was ignorant of it When there is no command in the word that the heart directly thinkes of as indeed many prophane carelesse men scarce have a Bible in their houses God speakes to them thus conscience speakes to them some broken command that they learne against their wils they heed it not but David did not so God said Seekeyee my face his heart answers thy face Lord will I seeke The heart lookes upward to God and then to it selfe My heart said It said to thee and then to it selfe First his heart said to God Lord I have incouragement from thee thou hast commanded that I should seeke thy face so his heart looked to God and then it speakes to it selfe Thy face Lord will I seeke It looks first to God and then to all things that come from it selfe My heart said it said of that point concerning the thing thou saidst seeke my face My heart said to thee David saw God in all his commandements Thou saidst to me seeke my face My heart said to thee I know the command is from thee I have to deale with thee in the command and incouragement and in the warrant I looke not to the words but to thee the authority and strength of them comes from thee My heart said to thee thy face Lord will I seeke Betweene the answer of David and Gods command and warrant the heart comes to thinke seriously upon the command and then to enjoyne the dutie This is to be considered because there is no knitting of these two together but by the heart the serious consideration of the heart when God faith seeke my face he answers I will seeke thy face How comes this returne The soule considers the ground of the returne before the returne A man when he doth any thing hee doth it from the principles of a man a holy man when hee doth a thing he doth it from the principle of a holy man and what is the principles and foundation of the practise of a holy man a sanctified understanding to tell him what God hath said and what he hath promised and wherein God hath discovered himselfe Well when the heart knowes
what will become of the poore soule It is swallowed up No question David was now in pangs and many things offered to thrust him off and he might say I have many things to discourage me yet thy face Lord will I seeke for deliverance out of trouble and for pardon of sinne Set the promise of God and the pardon of sinne above all extremity whatsoever God is the God of all and above all he is the God of comfort if comforts be wanting hee can make them a new In the want of means and when meanes are against us let us see lie to God Ionah in the Whales belly that was a creature that might have consumed him with heate When he was in the belly of hell he called unto God If a man be as low as hell if he have a command to come and a promise it will fetch him thence therefore alleadge the promises and the word What a miserable taking are they in that in extremity have no acquaintance with Gods word with the promises or good examples that have stored up nothing Alas they are in the middest of a storme naked in the middest of warre and opposition disarmed they lie open to all assaults Therefore as you love your own soules gather grounds of comfort treasure up promises and holy truths that in extremity you may say with David upon good ground Lord thou hast said thus and thus and in this extremity I come to thee Thy face LORD will I seeke breake through all feares and discouragements whatsoever alleadge the command of God and the promise of God and the incouragements of God my discouraged heart saith thus and Satan saith thus but Lord thou sayst thus seeke my face shall not I believe and obey God more than the devill or mine own lying false heart therefore except we will betray our soules to temptations and betray the comforts that wee have let us seeke GOD in all extremities I desire you to remember these directions and bee incouraged to seeke to God joyne the seeking in extremity with the seeking him in his ordinances If we doe not seeke him in his ordinances in the time of peace let us never thinke he will be so familiar with us in the time of trouble If wee be not acquainted with him in his ordinaces in prosperity in extremity he will be farre off Therefore seeke the face of God now in all his ordinances that is the way to have provision of strength against all other extremities whatsoever It is a great comfort in extremity to one that hath sought God in his Ordinances before Foolish Atheisticall men seeke not the wisedome of God in his Ordinances God cries to them and they regard it not but then they cry to God and God will not answer them but laugh at their destruction And as it is in Zachary you cry and I will not heare because I cryed and yee would not heare When GOD speaks and we regard it not we shall cry and he will not regard it Therfore as we desire his presence in the evill day let us labour to heare him now Let us search his will what hee requires of us and what he will doe for us and labour to be armed with obedience against the time of distresse And let us seeke him betimes now presently seek the favour of God you that are young In the morning early will I seeke thee Psalm 63 In the morning of your yeares In the morning of the day it is good to seeke God before the heart be possest with other businesse that he may blesse all our affaires Seeke his face that his blessing and direction and strength may be upon all Let us set upon things in his wisdom and strength and hope on his blessing And in the morning of your yeares early put not off for here is the mischiefe if weâ—… seeke not God early betimes the heart wiâ—… be hardened and willgrow worse to morroâ—… we shall be more unfit then to day Theâ—… those that seeke in their sicknesse and at thâ—… houre of death that is self-selfe-love it is grace to seeke God for himselfe out of old acquaintance and love but to seeke him in sicknesâ—… only and to neglect his ordinances it is meeâ—…ly selfe-love As a malefactor that carries himselfe ill in prison and then seekes the judges face at the barre when God arraignes 〈◊〉 man at the barre then to seeke him it come from selfe-love But that obedience we owâ—… to God is to seeke him out of a new nature oâ—… of love of Gods goodnesse and grace whâ—… we seeke him in extremity not out of the loâ—… of grace but to escape the danger of hell and damnation such seeking seldom proves good Many make a great shew of repentance and turning to God many of those prove false Hee that is good in affliction onely is never good Therefore put not off seeking Gods facâ—… by prayer and the use of all good meanes Many men first settle their estates and then send for a Physitian and the divine laâ—… of all when they are sicke Oh but seeke God first and above all things in the world or else wee have adulterous Idolatrous hearts to make the face of man our Idoll or health ouâ—… Idol we should seek Gods face above all The Scripture sets him out sweetly to us â—…erefore one way to encourage us to seeke to â—…OD is to present to our soules GOD under â—…ose sweete tearmes He is a rock in the midâ—…st of the waves Hee is a habitation in the â—…ddest of a storme thou art our habitation â—…e is called a hyding place he hath the shadâ—…ow of his wings to coverus let us flie under â—…e shaddow of his wings hee is presented â—…eetly to us in Christ. Therefore let us have â—…course to him upon all occasions and now â—…w that we may be familiar with him that â—…e may bee acquainted with him now in the â—…yes of our youth and he wil know us in age â—…d sicknesse if we be not acquainted with him â—…w hee will not acquaint himselfe with us â—…en therefore seeke his face now and above â—…l things seeke it And can we have more incouragement â—…here was never any that fought the face of â—…od that went away sorry It is said of some â—…ood Emperours that never any man went sorâ—… out of their presence either they had the â—…rant of their sutes or good words God sends â—…one sorry away there are none that come â—…to the presence of God but they are the bet â—…er for it they goe away more chearefull and â—…ore satisfied their consciences are quieted â—…hen they poure out their soules to God There is the peace of God which passeth understanâ—…ing preserves their soules as it is Philip. 4. In â—…othing be carefull but let there bee thanksgiving for favours received and let your requests be 〈◊〉 knowne to him and the peace of God shall preseâ—… your hearts and mindes You shall not despaire and
we would be glad to see all the dimensions of Gods love in Christ the height and bredth and depth and all So much for that They saw them a farre off They were perswaded of them It was such a sight of the things as was with convincing with perswasion And indeed this followes well upon sight for sight of all other sences perswades best hearing is not so perswasive as sight supernaturall sight brings forth supernaturall perswasion Sight is a convincing sense even outward sight so inward sight it is a convincing thing it perswades and sets downe the soule that a thing is so when a man sees it All the men in the world cannot perswade the weakest man in the world when it is day or night when the sunne shines or it is darke that it is not so when he sees it he will believe his owne eyes more than all the world besides And as it is in sensible things we believe our owne eyes so much more in spirituall things we believe our eyes When there is a spirituall light of revelation in the word discovering such things and also to spirituall light a spirituall eye when the spirit puts an eye into the soule to see supernaturall things that reason cannot attaine to then there is perswasion though all the world should perswade the soule that such a thing were not so it would say it is so it will believe its owne eyes If all the world should perswade a Christian that there is no such excellency in religion that his wayes are not good that he is but foolish c. he knowes the contrary and will not be scorned out of his religion and driven out of it by any contrary perswasion of men whom hee pitties though perhaps they are otherwise beyond him in the state of nature for sight it is a convincing thing Especially when there is some taste with sight for tast together with sight convince 〈◊〉 of the goodnesse of things as we see in those that lead their life by tasting and feeling The creatures maintaine their life by tasting some proportionable food fit for them So a Christian when once hee hath tasted of spirituall things the proper food of his soule when he hath seene and tasted of them he will never be driven out of his religion and his 〈◊〉 by any meanes when he hath seene and 〈◊〉 ed he is throughly perswaded A man must not dispute against tast when he hath tasted a thing to be so talke to him otherwise he saith I have tasted and feele and see it to be so and therefore wee see that after sight comes perswasion Now this perswasion is a supernaturall perswasion and it is Generall Particular A generall perswasion of the things of the generall truths and a particular personall perswasion of our interest in them When wee are perswaded that the truths are so generally that are revealed in the word of God and when we are perswaded by the help of the spirit that wee have a particular interest in them a portion in them And both are here meant They see them a farre off and were perswaded of them they were convinced both of the truth and goodnesse of them and of the truth and goodnesse to them in particular Now perswasion is a setled kind of knowledge Perswasion comes diverse wayes there be diverse degrees tending to perswasion First the poorest degree of the apprehension of things is conjecture a guessing that such a thing may bee so or otherwise but I guesse it rather to be so Beyond conjecture there is opinion when a man thinkes it is so upon more reasons swaying him one way and yet in opinion there is feare on the contrary that it may bee otherwise And the third degree beyond opinion is certaine knowledge when a man is not only conceited that the thing is so his opinion is so upon some reasons inducing him but hee knowes it by arguments and reasons that is science and knowledge when the mind is perswaded by arguments but that is not so much here meant the perswasion by argument There is another degree then of knowledge which is by the authority of the speaker a perswasion from thence when I know not the thing by the light of the thing so much because I see the reason of the thing but because I know such a one saith it that is the perswasion of faith When one is perswaded of a thing not so much out of his owne knowledge out of the principles of the thing setting out the causes of the thing as out of the credite of the person that speakes Now this perswasion riseth out of faith in the authority of the person when I believe a thing for the authority of the speaker it ariseth from the knowledge of him that speakes that he is able and that hee is true and that he is honest and good that he will not deceive because he is good and he will not bee deceived because he is wise we conceive that he is wise and holy and able with all one that we trust If together with this knowledge and perswasion from the authority and truth and goodnesse and wisdome of the speaker there be joyâ—…ed sense and experience we see it proved and when there is experience there is reason why wee should believe that he saith because wee have found the thing to be so So when there is both the authority of the speaker and some inward sense some sight and taste and feeling and experience of the thing spoken here comes that setled perswasion for hee is undoubtedly true that hath spoken it and I have found in some degree the thing true that hee hath spoken Now both are here meant in some degrees they saw the things a farre off both by the authority of the promise as likewise by their owne sight and some taste they had For God reserves not all for heaven God gives his children some taste and feeling some little joy and comfort the first fruits of the spirit here So they were perswaded from the authority of the speaker and some sense and feeling of the thing in somemeasure Now this perswasion hath its degrees There is a full perswasion And there is a perswasion that is not so full that is growing to further perswasion still And this perswasion hath degrees both in the generall perswasion of the truths themselves and in their particular interest for all Christians are not alike perswaded of divine truths themselves nor all Christians are not a like perswaded of their particular interest in those truths There bee degrees in both respects For the things themselves wee may grow stronger and stronger perswaded even as the light and our eye growes clearer the stronger is our sight so our perswasion while we are here may grow stronger and stronger It was strong in Abraham yet not so uniformely strong but that it was weaker sometimes then others
thing A man may say to such a soule it shall finde peace at the length for Gods wayes are unsearchable GOD hath cause and reason why he keepes such a soule under for a time and withholds some sense and perswasion but usually GODS comforts come more abundantly to such a soule he reserves it for the time of affliction or the houre of death The truth is it is a constant rule that though it may be thus with some in some cases yet ordinarily Gods children may be perswaded of their particular condition yea and they ought to labour after this perswasion and assurance that their soules may be filled with marrow and fatnesse and that they may joy in God and have boldnesse to come before God in prayer that they may be fruitfull in all holy duties that they may be strong to suffer afflictions and to resist temptations Therefore though God sometimes in his wise dispensation suffer them to be hindred yet not withstanding this is a thing that is both attainable and that they ought to labour for and never give their hearts rest till they attaine to it I say wee ought to labour for it for the soule is never in such a frame as it ought to be but when it hath gotten some assurance of Gods love But I must adde this we must labour that this perswasion be supernaturall by the spirit of God both of the truths in generall of the promises in generall and of our interest in particular in them we must labour that it be by the spirit to our spirits that the spirit may seale them to our spirits For it is not sufficient to know the word of God to be the word of God and the promises to be the promises because we have beene brought up in them and can say them by heart and it were a shame for us to conceive the contrary that is not sufficient for that will deceive us Wee must labour as I said of knowledge that we may be supernaturally convinced so also that is from that knowledge that it may be spirituall or else it will deceive us How doe we prove that To make it a little clearer because it is a point of some consequence even as I shewed of what consequence the sight of faith is so I may say of this perswasion We must labour therefore to know how we come by this perswasion and whether it be such as we can hold out in whether it be such by which wee can stand out in the time of temptation If there be nothing but that argument of breeding and of generall light of discourse that we see one thing how it followes from another I say it will deceive us because constant obedience will never follow upon such a perswasion nor constant holding out to death nor constancy in death if the conscience be once awaked neither will wee be fruitfull in our lives and conversations To make this cleare If the soule be not perswaded by the spirit of God together with the spirit of the Scripture for the same spirit that is in the Scripture must be in our spirit working our natures sutable to the Scriptures to be holy if we doe not by that spirit by which the Scripture was endited know those truths we shall never be obedient to them not constantly For what is the reason that men when they are told God doth forbid you to take his name in vaine God forbids you to seeke after earthly things God forbids you by the Scriptures to defile your vessels he forbids you to seeke these things below he forbids you these courses Now a man that hath knowledge that is not supernaturall that hath it not by the spirit he heares these things with a kind of scorne and despiseth them as nicities he never maks scruple of these things because he knows they are forbidden or commanded of God because he heares so but he hath not knowne by the spirit of God that penned the Scriptures that these indeed are Gods divine truths the spirit hath not sealed these truths to his soule this is Gods word he hath not felt it in converting his soule in mortifying his corruptions in raising him being cast down in working wonders in his conscience in bringing all into a spirituall subjection When he hath not felt the word worke thus for all his generall knowledge by education and breeding and reading he may be a disobedient wretch and live and die a rebell and bitter opposite against the power of grace because he hath not knowledge of the word of God and of particular truths by the spirit of God it is no perswasion of the spirit And this is that that men wonder at that know not the mystery of these things to see great Schollers men of great knowledge perhaps Divines that are Preachers to others to see such an one vicious to see him carnally disposed as others when a man seeth this hee thinkes what doe you talke of the word of God if there were such a thing men that know these things must needs lead their lives after the rule It is no wonder the devill hath knowledge enough but he is no divine at all because he hath it from his nature being a spirit so a man may be a devill incarnate he may have knowledge of these things and yet no true divine But hee that is taught by the spirit of God the things in the word of God the spirit workes a taste in them Historicall truths are knowne by their owne light there is no such need of the spirit to discover them but the promises and threatnings and such things are knowne by the spirit a man feeles the power of the word of God then a man is convinced otherwise if the spirit doe not reveale these things a man will never obey but be rebellious And as there will be no obedience so there will be no holding out in time of perill and temptation The perswasion that a carnall man hath that is not a sanctified perswasion it will not hold out in the houre of death in the time of temptation in strong temptation either on the right hand by preferments and favours or on the left hand by threatnings and persecutions it is but a seeming perswasion when any thing comes that is stronger than it it will not hold when there is afflictions and persecutions in the Church we see many excellent learned men hold not out in their profession Why they were drawne to the profession of Religion by dependance on such kind of men or they only followed religion as they saw reason for it or they have been so bred in it c. Now reason may bee brought against reason when men have no other motives then these when persecution comes that they must loose their preferments or their friends or their life they fall away altogether because that perswasion that they seemed to have before it was no spirituall perswasion wrought from intrinsecall
the eye sees the heart imbraceth in good And in what measure our eye sight of heavenly things is clearer and our perswasion stronger in that measure our imbracing is lovely and full of joy and delight Therefore let us labour to grow in knowledge in supernaturall spirituall knowledge and that our perswasion may be stronger every day more and more for answerable to that our affections will grow and will be carried to the things discovered And there is nothing more effectuall to commend knowledge to us then this that it is a meanes to work a holy and heavenly disposition and temper in us especially if it be spirituall And let us meditate upon what wee seeme to know and are perswaded of let us dwell upon things still to work them upon the will and affections let us dwell upon them till our hearts bee warmed well with the things knowne and that we professe our selves to be perswaded of And joyne with it an enquiry upon the soule are these things so doe I know these things and am I perswaded of these things that they are so how is my disposition answerable then am I so affected as I should be is my love so hote and my joy so working and spiritly and quicke as it should or no and hereupon take occasion to stirre up our selves and to checke our owne soules Alas that I should have such things discovered and that I should see such things in such a strong perswasion in the booke of God and professe my selfe to be perswaded of these things and yet be so dead at all times And if we find our affections any thing working that wee are disposed to imbrace these things then wee cannot but be in an excellent temper and blesse God that vouchsafed together with the excellency of the things themselves to shew us our portion by his holy spirit to enlighten our understandings and to perswade us let us blesse God for this for it is a worke above nature And withall because the soule cannot close with and imbrace these things but it must let loose other things for you know in imbracing there must bee a letting goe of those things that were formerly within the gripe if we would gripe these things in our affection and will we must have them only we must not think to graspe the world and them together the things here below and them together as wee shall see after in that point they accounted themselves strangers to earthly things Therefore this is one way to come to this imbracing to come to the sight of the vanity and insufficiency of all things in comparison of Christ and the happinesse wee have by Christ. To see in matter of judgment the insufficiencie of workes and merit and such like in the matter of justification the insufficiency of all such trash as the popish religion abuseth the world withall And so in matter of conversation to see the insufficiency and empâ—…nesse and vanity yea the vexation of all things besides these good things here offered the good things that Gods spirit offers to the eye of our soules that he offers to our wills and affections what are all to these and effectually thinke so thinke what should draw a mans affections after it beauty or strength consider what will become of these ere long And then withall consider the excellency of the estate of the body and soule in heaven if we carry our selves as wee should doe and preserve our selves in our spirituall condition let us lay these things together and then wee shall see how infinitely the one is beyond the other If it be for honour and favour of the world consider the vanity of them and how short a time wee may enjoy them and the things themselves are subject to alteration And withall consider the constant excellency of the favour of GOD in Christ Iesus which will comfort us in life in death and for ever And so for riches and possessions in this world consider how soone all here must be left and how the soule is larger then all these things if wee had a thousand times more abundance then we have and that our soules that are more large and more excellent they are not made for these things but for better and what use we shal have of better things when these faile the soule being immortall and eternall This will make us let goe earthly things in our affections and hold them in their place in a secondary place as things serviceable in the way to heaven and not to graspe them in our affections for then they pierce the soule to death and damnation And if we would be affected as we should be to good things let us keepe our affections tender and keepe them cleare from the guilt of any sinne that may work feares and doubts for together with sin goes feares and doubts they are bred in sinne naturally therefore if we would maintaine this imbracing oh let us keepe our soules as we keepe our understandings cleare so keepe our affections tender by all meanes and keepe our consciences unspotted that so our affections of joy and delight and love may bee ready prest to good things even to the best things Another way is in particular to meditate of the love of Christ the love of GOD in Christ and of his imbracing of us For wee must know that our imbracing is upon perswasion of Gods imbracing of us We imbrace not the promises of Christ as a man imbraceth a dead post that cannot returne imbraces to him againe this imbracing of Christ and heaven it is a mutuall imbracing and it is a second reflexive imbracing wee imbrace God and Christ because we find God in Christ imbracing our soules first in the armes of his love therefore we imbrace him again in the armes of our affections because we find Christ imbracing us in the armes of his affections Therefore let us attend upon the meanes upon private reading of the word and upon the ministry for what are the ministers but to contract Christ and the soule together they are friends of the Bridegroome to discove CHRISTS love to us and his lovelinesse his lovelinesse in himselfe his riches in himselfe and his love to us to allure us againe to CHRIST the ministery is for this end especially to draw Christ and the foule together And what is the Scripture in the intent and scope of it but to discover to us the excellen ciâ—… of Christ and the good things we have by him his love good intention to our soules Now hearing these things in the ministery they are effectuall together with the spirit to draw our affections backe againe to him And naturally wee cannot but love those that love us Now when we are perswaded of Gods love tous in Christ and Christs love to us God having made our soules for love to himselfe and friendship with himselfe and the nearest and sweetest conjugall friendship now therefore the more his
love is discovered to us the more we shall love him Therefore let us be constant in attending upon good meanes we shall alway heare something that will either strengthen our faith in the promises of God or shew us our duty to God againe we shall have something discovered whereby the spirit will bee effectuall to help this imbracing Let us go to reading and hearing with this scope and intention Now I come to heare I come to have my soule wrought on I come to heare some message from heaven to heare some good thing to draw my minde from the world and worldly things and upon hearing our duty to God to walke lowly in thankefulnesse for those good things that wee have and that wee hope for in another world It is no wonder that men lose their affections that are carelesse in the use of meâ—…nes and if they loose them will they not loose all The best man living if he be care lesse in using the meanes of salvation and give himselfe to the world altogether or to his calling things not in themselves unlawfull his affections will be dead he shal loose them for God hath ordained that our affections should be quickned by heavenly meanes and GOD knoweth better than wee our selves that hath sanctified these meanes to this purpose In attending upon the meanes we shall heare a discovery of good things and heare comforts and have our light strengthened by new discovery of new Scripture or by old Scriptures lively applyed something to increase the life of our perswasion at every Sermon and reading good bookes and by every good company and that which increaseth knowledge and perswasion makes our affection and imbracing stronger I beseech you let us take these courses or else all is to no purpose the maine thing in religion is the will and affections and when the wil and affections are wrought on the worke is done in the matter of grace And there is no other way to know whether the former worâ—… of the understanding and perswasion bee effectuall and to purpose or no but this to know whether the will choose and cleave to good things and whether our affections joy and delight in them there is the tryall of the maine worke The worke indeed is especially in the judgment when it heares soundly and supernaturally of the ills that are to bee avoyded and of the good things that are to be imbraced buâ—… where is the tryall of the judgement but when it carries the whole soule with it when it carries the sterne of the soule with it Now that which is immediate to our soules is our affection of joy and delight and the the like Therefore let us take to heart these things and never think we are any thing in religion till our hearts and affections be wrought upon till our knowledge be such as may sway that whole inward man Againe consider the excellency of these good things that we have discovered to us in the Gospell that are the object of our imbracing together with the necessity of them that without them we are wretched creatures there is no hope for us Let us every day consider what ground of hope wee have though the things be not yet possest whether the things be true that we hope for whether they bee confirmed to be true or no and how we rest on them for let things be never so excellent and necessary unlesse the soule conceive of them as things attainable as things belonging to us all is to no purpose this effect of imbracing will not bee wrought in the soule Therefore consider more and more the hopefulnes of them that may help this imbracing A Christian when he believes and hopes for that happines that shall be revealed to him the things promised what a world of grounds of hope hath he for it hee hath the word of God for an inheritance immortall and 〈◊〉 he hath the will of Christ Father I will thâ—… where I am they may bee Ioh. 17. his prayer to his father is his will and his will must be performed for he lives for ever to make good his own legacy to his Church And he is now in heaven preparing that happinesse for us that we so imbrace with faith And he hath left us here his spirit to be a pledge that he will come againe he hath left his spirit and hath taken our flesh to heaven to strengthen our hope that this shall follow Our flesh is in heaven in him already and his spirit is in earth in 〈◊〉 as a mutuall depositum in trust betweene him and us and all to strengthen the hope of that happinesse that is reserved Besides the Seale of the Sacrament the end of which is to cherish hopefulnesse of Christ and of all the good we have by him His oath is added to his promise that all things might be immutable and unchangeable of the forgivenesse of sinnes and life everlasting c. Now especially when we find our hearts 〈◊〉 sinke downward and not to have that life 〈◊〉 they should have by meditating on these things of their excellency and necessitie and to conceive in Scripture the grounds of hope of them it will quicken us Adde likewise for our owne interest what worke of the spirit we have and then what singular promises we have that where GOD hath begun he will make an end For why is the worke of the spirit called an earnest but that God will make good the bargaine Consider what worke of the spirit we have for whatsoever is spirituall is eternall in a man what joy is spirituall what love is spirituall what knowledge is spirituall it shall be made up in perfection it shall never be taken away See then how the spirit seales us by the worke of it and what earnest wee have in peace of conscience and the work of it This will cherrish hope for that is part of this imbracing to imbrace them with faith and hope And this should be a daily course to work upon the affections to estrange them from all things and from the meditation of all things else And as I said before to consider the love of God to us and to love him again And consider likewise the hopefulnesse of good things that nothing in the world is so made good to us as the things of a better life the things of grace and glory And God hath borrowed from all assurance amongst men terms to shew the assurance of the good things we have in hope and faith The pledge of the spirit the earnest of the spirit the seale of the spirit the witnesse of the spirit What termes are there used among men that may confirme any thing that you have not used to strengthen this supernaturall assurance of these supernaturall good things GOD herein succours our weakenesse knowing how prone we are to call these things into question And consider especially our owne unworthinesse our vilenesse and basenesse that we deserve none of
consists other creatures wanting understanding to discerne a better good out of then in themselves their life being their good desire only the continuance of their owne beeing without society and fellowship with others But man having the knowledge of God the Creator of heaven and earth but especially of God the Redeemer providing for him a second beeing better then his first understandeth that his best and chiefest good dependeth more in him then in himselfe and because his happinesse standeth in acquaintance and fellowship with this God which is the chiefe good he desireth a communion with him that he may partake of his good This communion and fellowship of man with God was first founded on a Covenant of workes made with Adam in Paradise if he did obey and did not eat of the forbidden fruit he should have life both for himselfe and his posterity the which Covenant because God would not have forgotten hee afterward renewed in the delivery of the ten Commandements requiring from man obedience to them in his owne person exactly at all times perpetually promising life on the obedience and threatning death and cursing if hee continued not in every thing the law required to doe But this fellowship being placed in mans owne freedome and having so weake a foundation he lost both himselfe and it so that now by the first Covenant of workes Adam and all his posterity are under a curse for we cannot fulfill the law that requireth personall obedience perfect obedience and exact obedience hee that continueth not in all is cursed The Law then findeth us dead and killeth us it findeth us dead before and not onely leaves us dead still but makes us more dead Now after this fall mans happinesse was to recover againe his communion and fellowship with God and therefore we must have a new Covenant before wee can have life and comfort God must enter into new conditions with us before wee can have any communion with him God therefore loving man doth after the breach of the first agreement and Covenant when Adam had lost himselfe by his sinne and was in a most miserable plight as ever creature was in the world falling from so great a happinesse into wondrous misery hee raysed him up and comforted him by establishing a second a new and better Covenant laying the foundation of it in the blessed seed of the woman Christ the Messiah who is the ground of this new Covenant and so of our communion and fellowship with God without whom there can be no intercourse betweene God and us in love and because this Covenant vvas almost forgotten therefore now in Abrahams time God renewed it to Abraham in this place I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee c. There are foure periods of time of renevying this Covenant first from Adam to Abraham and in those first times of the vvorld those that were under the Covenant vvere called the sonnes and daughters of God the children of the promise and the covenant of grace was called a promise of the blessed seed Secondly from Abraham to Moses and then it was called a covenant and they the children of the covenant I will establish my Covenant A covenant is more then a promise and a more solemne thing because there be Ceremonies The third period of renewing the covenant of grace was from Moses to Christ and then it was more cleare when as to the covenant made with Abraham who was sealed with the Sacrament of Circumcision the Sacrament of the Pascall Lambe was added and all the Sacrifices Leviticall and then it was called a Testament that differeth a little from a Covenant for a Testament is established by blood it is established by death so was that but it was onely with the blood and death of Cattle sacrificed as a Type But now to Christs time to the end of the world the covenant of grace is most cleare of all and it is now usually called the new Testament being established by the death of Christ himselfe and it differs from a Covenant in these respects First a Testament indeed is a covenant but something more it is a covenant sealed by death the Testator must die before it can be of force so all the good that is conveyed to us by the Testament it is by the death of the Testator Christ Gods covenant with us now is such a covenant as is a Testament sealed with the death of the Testatour Christ for without blood there is no redemption without the death of Christ there could be no satisfaction and without satisfaction there could be no peace with God Secondly a Testament bequeatheth good things meerely of love it giveth gifts freely A covenant requireth some thing to be done in a Testament there is nothing but receiving the Legacies given In covenants ofttimes it is for the mutuall good one of another but a Testament is meerely for their good for whom the Testament is made to whom the Legacies are bequeathed for when they are dead what can they receive from them Gods Covenant now is such a Testament sealed with the death of Christ made out of love meerely for our good for what can God receive of us all is legacies from him and though hee requireth conditions requireth faith and obedience yet he himselfe fulfilleth what he asketh giveth what he requireth giveth it as a Legacie as we shall see afterward Thus you see that the communion and fellowship of man with God must either be by a covenant of workes or by a covenant of grace And we must distinguish exactly betweene these two covenants and the periods of them When the covenant of workes was disanuled by ours sinnes because we could not fulfill the Law exactly and perpetually God will have a new Covenant if wee beleeve in Christ we shall have everlasting life Now if wee sticke to the one we must renounce the other if it be of faith it is not of workes and if it be of workes it is not of faith This was excellently signified by Ioshua and Moses Ioshua bringeth the people to Canaan and not Moses Moses doth not bring any to heaven it must be Ioshua the Type of the true Jesus that must bring them through Iordan to Canaan This was typified also in the Arke there was the Law the Covenant of workes in the Arke but the propitiatory the Mercy-seate was above the Arke above the Law and from thence God made all his Answers to signifie to us that we can have nothing to doe with the Law without the Propitiatory Christ is the Propitiatory the Mercy-seate in Christ God heareth us he makes all his Answers in the Propitiatory Christ. Therefore when the question is of salvation how wee have title to heaven Not by the merit of workes for then we reverse the Covenant of grace but our title is meerely by Gods mercy in Christ apprehended by faith The evidence indeed to prove our faith to be a true faith is from
workes but the title we have is onely by Christ onely by grace Here we must appeale from Sinai to Sion from the Law to the Gospell from Moses to Christ we must flie with Ioab to the homes of the Altar that must be our refuge flie to Christ in the Covenant of grace and wee shall not be pulled from thence as Ioab was from the Altar there let us live and die Remember I say that the Covenant of grace is distinct in the whole kind from the Covenant of workes yet this They are both in the Church and both taught one subordinate to the other As thus The Covenant of workes is taught to shew us our failing that seeing our owne disability to performe what the Law requireth we may be forced to the new Covenant of grace And therefore saith Paul By the Law I am dead to the Law It is an excellent speech by the Law I am dead to the Law by the Covenant of workes I am dead to the Covenant of workes that is by the Lawes â—…acting of me exact and perpetuall obedience in thought word and deed I come to see that I cannot fulfill it and therefore am dead to the Law that is I looke for no salvation for no title to heaven by that and therefore he saith the Law was added for transgression why was the Law added to the promise of salvation by Christ made here to Abraham why was the Covenant of workes added in the wildernes afterwards it was for transgression to increase the sense of transgression that wee by the Law might see what we should doe and what we have not done and that we are by that come under a curse and so might flie to the promise of grace in Christ. I have stood the longer in the clearing of this because it is a maine point But to come to that which I specially intend the words as I said before containe therenewing of this blessed and gracious agreement betweene God and man to Abraham the father of the faithfull I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee The words you see containe a Covenant and here are all things all the Articles and circumstances that agree to any Covenant whatsoever Here are the parties both that makes the Covenant and that are covenanted with Here is the substance of the Covenant and the qualities of the Covenant and the condition of the Covenant The party making the Covenant is God I will be thy God God is the party covenanting God indeed is both the party covenanting and the substance of the Covenant I will be a God to thee they fall both together in one It is a most sweet signe of Gods great love that he will stoope so low as to make a Covenant with us to be our God to be himselfe all in all to us For consider but both these parties God and we the Creator and the creature the immortall God and mortall man the glorious God and dust and afhes the holy God and sinfull-man the great King of heaven and earth and Rebels and traytours as wee are For him to condescend so low as to make a Covenant with us to enter into Termes and Articles of agreement with us it is a wondrous signe of his gracious mercy and love what can we but hope for from so gracious a God But I shall have occasion to touch that afterward The parties covenanted with are Abrahamâ—…d â—…d his seed his seede by promise The substance of the Covenant is I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee The qualities of the Covenant are first it is a sure Covenant I will establish my Covenant Secondly it is an everlasting Covenant I will establish my Covenant for an everlasting Covenant Thirdly it is a peculiar Covenant I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee and thy seed that is onely betweene me and thee and thy seed not with the refuse of the world but onely with thy seed by promise onely beleevers whether Iewes or Gentiles Fourthly it is a most free Covenant it was made to Abraham whom God called out of Vr of the Chaldees out of an idolatrous nation out of an idolatrous family Even as it was at the first most freely made to Adam in Paradise when he was in a most desperate estate when he was as low as hell in a manner ready to sinke into de spaire then the Seede of the woman was promised so here it was freely made to good Abraham First the love of God was free to him when he call'd him being an idolatour and then it was freely renewed afterward when hee was good as wee shall see anon And lastly It is a Covenant consisting most of spirituall things it is a spirituall covenant I meane especially promising spirituall favours although the other things as appendices of the maine are likewise meant For after that the covenant was made to Abraham and his posterity they endured many afflictions after the promise was renewed to Iacob wee know hee fled from his brother Esau to whom the Covenant of grace was not made and yet of Esau presently came Duke such a one and Duke such a one and poore Iacob was faine to flie for his life in regard of the promise So that I say it must be specially of spirituall blessings These are the qualities of the Covenant It is a sure an everlasting a peculiar and a most free Covenant ayming specially at spirituall things And then lastly you have the condition of the Covenant and that though it is not exprest yet it is implyed I will be thy God and the God of thy seede therefore thou shalt take me for thy God carry thy selfe to me as to thy God c. It is usuall in other places of Scripture where mention is made of this Covenant to imply the condition required on our parts sometimes both the Covenant and condition are mentioned together as in Zach. 13. last I will say saith God It is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God the one springeth from the other when God is a God to any he makes the heart to answer thou shalt be my God and I will be thine alwayes This is the condition on our part that we make with God in this Covenant to take him for our God to be his people and his pecuilar ones I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Though these words I will be a God to thee and to thy seed be the last words of the Text yet being the substance of the Covenant I thinke it shall be best to speake of that before I speake of the qualities of the Covenant or any thing else I will be thy God This is the Covenant in the Messiah but first what is it to be a God I answer To be a God take it in
confederate without there be a likenesse or an agreement there must be more word then on to a Covenant though Gods grace doe all yet wee must give our consent and therefore the Covenat is exprest under the title of marriage in marriage there must be a consent of both parties In reconciliation betweene a King and subjects that are fallen out when they are Rebels there must be an accepting of the pardon and a promise of new subjection So then if God be our God there will bee grace given to take him for our God to give him homage as a King to give him our consent as to our Spouse thou shalt be my God and I will cleave to thee as to my Lord and Husband Can two walke together saith the Prophet and not be friends there can bee no friendship with God except there be somewhat wrought in us by his Spirit to make us fit for friendship that we may looke on him as an object of love and delight if wee looke on him as an object of hatred what termes of friendship can there be Now that we may looke on him as an object of love fit for converse with him hee must make us such by consent and yeelding to him by framing the inward man to his likenesse that so there may a peace be maintained with him you see the ground of it of necessity it must be so Well to come to the tryalls but let me first adde this to the former whomsoever God is a God to it is knowne specially by spirituall and eternall favours a man cannot know certainely that God is his God by outward and common things that cast-awayes may have for a cast-away may have Ishmaels blessing and Esaus portion blessings of the left hand common graces To know undoubtedly therefore that God is our God must be by peculiar matters for those whose God God is are a peculiar people a holy nation severed from others First of all then know what the Spirit of God saith to thy soule for they that are Gods have his Spirit to reveale to their spirits the secret and hidden love of God but if the voyce of the Spirit be silent in regard of testimony goe to the worke of the Spirit but goe to the peculiar worke of the Spirit For though the Spirit may be silent in regard of his testimony yet there are some workes or other of the Spirit in a man whereby hee may know that God is his God As the Spirit of God workes in some sort a proportion in him unto God and none can know better what God is to him then by searching of his owne heart what hee is backe againe to God for as God saith to him by his Spirit thou art mine so they say to God thou art mine Let us then come to the tryall by our carrying our selves to God Can we say with David Whom have I in heaven but thee or what is there in earth in comparison of thee when the conscience can tell us that we make God our treasure and our portion above all earthly things then wee make him our God A Christian singleth our God above all things in the world for his happinesse Lord thou art mine whatsoever wealth is mine or riches mine or friends mine I stand not upon that but thou art mine A rich man runneth to his wealth and make flesh his arme he runneth to friends to beare him out in ill causes but a true Christian that hath God for his God he may know it by this he singleth out God for his portion runnes to him in all extremities Lord thou art mine this is a signe that God hath said to his soule first I am thy salvation How can the soule appropriate God to himselfe how can he say as Thomas did My Lord and my God except the Lord have spoken peace to the soule before and have said I am thy salvation It is a signe we have made God our God when wee prize him and value him above all the world and when with Saint Paul Phil. 3. wee count all things dung and drosse in comparison of Jesus Christ our Lord what we will doe most for that is our God if wee will doe most for God he is our God if we doe most for pleasures they are our God if wee doe most for riches breake oâ—…r rests and cracke our consciences for them that is our God In a word whatsoever we value highest that is our God Examine what affections wee have to God for it is affection that makes a Christian single out some few that we are most offending in As first for feare it may shame us all indeed a Christian upon his best resolutions is better but the ordinary carriage of men is they feare men more then God they feare every thing more then him that they should feare above all For instance is the retyred carriage of men to God such as their carryage is to the eye of the world will not they doe that in secret ofttimes that they will not doe openly in secret they will commit this or that sinne and thinke who seeth there are secret abominations in the closet of their hearts they will not feare to doe that in the eye of God that they feare to doe in the eye of a child of sixe yeares old that is of any discretion Is this to make God our God when wee feare the eye of a silly mortall creature more then the eye of God that is tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne that is our Judge is God our God the whiles undoubtedly when God is made our God there is an awe of the eye of heaven upon a man in all places therefore this is the condition of the Covenant Walke before mee or walke as in my sight how doe wee walke before God as in his sight when there is such a great deale of difference in our carriage secretly and before the eyes of men when wee labour more to approve our carriage to men then we make conscience of our spirits to God This may shame us even the best of us who are in Covenant with God and have made God our God we have cause to be abased for this and surely one of the best wayes to make Gods children abased and humbled is to compare the different proportion of their carriage how they carry themselves to men whom they respect and to outward things in the world and how they carry themselves to God if God be our God there will be an universall feare and care to please God in all times and in all places because hee is every-where darkenesse and light are all one to him Trie your selves therefore by this affection if we make God our God wee will feare him above all for there being such a distance betweene God and us He the mighty God and we creatures whose breath is in our nostrils there can no other way be a Govenant of peace betwixt us but with much reverence
therfore all Christians are reverent creatures they doe all in feare they passe the whole time of their conversation here in feare they make an end of their salvation with fearâ—… and trembling they enjoy their liberties in feare Saint Iude makes mention of a number of wretched people in his time that eate without feare you may know a man that hath not this grace of God in his heart by his unreverent carriage hee never thinkes of the presence and All-seeing eye of God A Christian that hath God to his God knowes that wheresoever hee is hee is in the eye of heaven therefore he is jealous even of his owne most secret corruptions he knowes that they are lawlesse of themselves and therefore he alwayes sets himselfe in the presence of God he is full of reverence full of feare even in the enjoying of his Christian liberties So likewise for the affection of love if God be thy God thou hast grace given thee to love him above all things with whom God is graciously reconciled he giveth them his Spirit to be reconciled backe againe to him He loveth us and we love him againe for wee are by nature enemies to God as hee is to us there is no wicked man in the world can love God indeed as God is a God that promiseth salvation he loveth him hee would faine have that and therefore would faine be in his favour but hee cannot love God as he is in all respects but he hateth him and hee hateth his children hee trifleth with his name by oaths and blasphemy and the like hee scorned God hee wisheth that there were no God can this man say that God is his God when he doth not carry himselfe backe againe to him in his affection as his God no such matter he is Gods enemie and God is his enemie So if God be our God if hee have set his love upon us wee cannot but love him againe if hee be reconciled to us wee are reconciled to him This is a sure signe that God is our God if we love him above all Now that may be knowne if wee be zealous when God is dishonored any way for whatsoever we make our God wee will not endure to have touched if a man make his lust his God if that be touched hee is all in a chafe when that which a man loveth is touched experience shews it hee is presently all on a fire And here the best Christians have cause to be abased hath God their love when they can heare him disgraced and his name abused without being greatly mooved and yet notwithstanding in the meane time will not endure their owne credit to be touched but they are as I said all on a fire where there is no zeale there is no love certainely when vvee can heare Gods children misused and Religion indangered and profession scoffed at c. and yet not be affected nor cannot take Gods cause to heart this is great fault in our love And so for joy and delight wee make God our God when we joy in him above all things in the world when wee make him our boast all the day long as it is Psalm 44. 8. when we make him our glory as he is called our Glory in Ierem. 2. 11. They changed their glory God is our glory if hee be our God wee count it our chiefest glory that we are his that he is ours whatsoever our estates be we glory in God and not in our selves a Christian when he would joy and glory hee goeth out of himselfe to God He is his joy But doe not men joy in the creature and delight in it ofttimes more then in God It is a great shame for us and that for which even the best of us all may be abased to consider what a deale of delight and comfort wee take in the creature more then in God We see Ionah a good man when his Gourd was taken from him that God raised up to be a shelter for him a poore simple defence it was and yet we see how pettish the good man was all the comfort he had could not keepe him from anger and fretting when the Gourd was gone and yet God was his God So many men whereas they should joy in God above all things yet if God take outward comforts from them they are as if there were no God in heaven no comfort there as if there were no providence to rule theworld as if they â—…ad no Father in covenant with them I say this is a great shame for us Againe if God be our God wee will trust in him relye and depend upon him above all things for whatsoever our trust is most in that is our God now if our conscience tell us that wee trust most in God more then in wealth or friends and will not to displease God please any man it is a signe that we have make God our God because we trust in him And surely if we would examine our selves the best of us all it would bring us on our knees make our faces be confounded to consider what a deale of Atheisme there is in our hearts though we are not altogether Atheists yet what a deale there is that must be mortified and subdued For if an honest man and that we know is faithfull should say to us I will be yours I will take upon me to provide for you to defend you to protect you to stand by you against all adversaries wee beleeve and hope that hee will doe it but doe we so to God hath he our trust and affiance Alas no so farre forth I meane as wee are not subdued to God a Christian indeed in some measure is inabled to make God his trust and confidence but there remaines abundance of Atheisme even in the best of us If God be our God why doe we not trust in him depend upon him for all things depend upon him for protection and deliverance from all ill spirituall ill specially from sin Satan hell and wrath depend upon him for all good the good of grace specially for the change of our nature and the forgivenesse of our sinnes for spirituall priviledges adoption and sonneship for the inheritance of heaven c. It is a signe I say that God is our God when wee trust in him above all the world and trust other things onely from him and for him I will trust man but man may deceive me I will not trust him therefore with an absolute confidence no that were to make a God of him What is the reason that God confoundeth proud men at last David shewes the reason this man he tooke not the Lord for his God when men will in contempt of Religion set up themselves and somewhat else to relye on besides God God at the last brings it to passe that the world shall note them out this man trusted in his greatnesse he trusted in his policy in his wit in his friends this man tooke not the Lord for
his God Againe if we make God our God we may know it by our obedience especially by the obedience of the inward man when the inward man is vowed to God when a man yeeldeth inward obedience to God it is a signe that God is his God when a man can araigne his thoughts and desires before God when lusts rise in his heart contrary to the Spirit he checks them presently this becommeth not those that are Gods it beseemeth not those that walke after God that have Gods Spirit for their leader therefore he is ashamed presently of base tentations A Christian can performe the first and last Commandements which are the most spirituall Commandements hee can make God his God in his affections his affections are placed upon him alone as I have shewed before he can yeeld up all his inward affections of feare and love and joy and such like unto God which is the summe of the first Commandement and hee can be content not to have his lusts rage and range suppresses his very thoughts and desires will not suffer any thing to rise in his heart unchecked and uncountrouled which is the summe of the tenth Commandement I meane he can doe it in some measure And there is a inward passive obedience too It is God as David and other Saints said It is the Lord let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes I am Gods and he shall dispose of me the soule that knoweth God to be his God hath an inward obedience of contentation with his estate God is my portion and it is large enough the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof therefore I will be content to be at his disposing whether it be more or lesse and if any murmuring arise in his heart against God in respect of his estate or otherwise he presently suppresseth it as being contrary to the blessed government that a Christian is under that should resigne his whole soule unto God Thus by our affections by the tryall of them wee may know whether God be our God if wee give him the affections of the heart which Religion most stands in when we make the whole inward man stoope and bow and bend unto him when we make him our King and give him the supremacy when we set the Crowne upon his head when hee hath our feare our joy and delight our love our trust I meane when he hath the supreame of all for we may love man as God deriveth good to us by him and so for the rest but God must be supreme others must be loved and feared c. in him and for him but hee chiefely when wee depend upon him for all deliverance out of ill and for all good and shew our dependance on him by our subjection to him in all his wayes by our yeelding to him obedience answerable to all this and especially when we shall shew it by performing inward worship to him when we walke before him pefectly sincerely as it is in the beginning of this Chapter I am God All-sufficient walke before me and be perfect By this we may know that God is our God I need not enlarge it the practise of the first Commandement will teach us what is our God whatsoever we give the supremacy of the inward man to whatsoever we love most whatsoever wee trust most whatsoever we feare most whatsoever we joy and delight most whatsoever wee obey most that is our God I am the Lord thy God in the first Commandement there is the ground what followes Thou shalt have no other Gods but me that is thou shalt love nothing in the world nor feare nothing nor trust in nothing nor joy in nothing more then me no nor with me but all things else thou shalt trust them and feare them c. in me and for me otherwise what is our love is our God what is our trust is our God what is our greatest feare is our God if wee feare man feare him to doe ill man is our God if we love the creature or sinne that is our God if wee cracke our consciences for wealth the covetous mans wealth is his God if wee cracke our consciences for pleasures or for our bellies our pleasures and our bellies and our lusts are our God we make not God our God except we give him the supremacy of the inward man But to proceed and to come to some few familiar signes more that will try us though these may try us in the intercourse that is betweene God and us Whosoever hath God for their God they have the spirit of supplication prayer to cry unto God to run unto him specially in extremity all Gods children have the spirit of adoption to crie Abba Father they have the spirit to give them boldnesse to God when otherwise their nature and likewise trouble joyning with nature and tentations would make them runne from God yet the Spirit of God in them makes them bold to goe to God in Jesus Christ Gods children that are in Covenant vvith him can at all times pray to God if they cannot pray they can chatter and sigh to God there is somewhat they can doe there is a spirit in them that groaneth and sigheth as Rom. 8. and God heareth the voyce of his owne Spirit they are cryes in his eares My groanes and sighs are not hid from thee saith the Psalmist The spirit of supplication vvill shevv God to be our God because if he vvere not ours vvee could not be bold to goe to him in the time of extremity especially this signe you have in the 13. Zach. last They shall call upon my name and I will heare them they shall be my people and I will be their God Invocation prayer is a signe that God is our God vvhen vvee goe to God presently in all our vvants and necessities by prayer Pharaoh and reprobate spirits say to Moses pray you for me but as for a spirit of supplication in themselves they have not they may speake of prayer but they cannot pray whosoever is Gods he can crie to God a child wee know the first voyce it uttereth as soone as it is borne it cryes so Gods new borne children they can crie unto God Paul in the 9. Acts you shall find him praying as soone as ever he was coverted and certainely those that use not to pray morning and evening and upon all occasions that acquaint not themselves with God God is not their God if he were their God they would seeke to him and be acquainted with him the Spirit will teach them to goe unto God as to a Father Againe wee may know that God is our God by this by our separating from all others in our selves and out of our selves there is a separation in our selves for there is the first separation God whose God hee is hee giveth them his Spirit and that like fire severeth the drosse and gathered the sold together and as heate in the body that severeth
miserable creatures are all such when they shall say friends have forsaken me wealth hath forsaken me and health hath forsaken me terrours lay hold upon me the wrath of God hath over-taken me but they cannot say God is my God oh such are in a miserable case in a fearefull estate indeed nay suppose they have all these suppose they could say they have a vvorld of riches they have inheritances they have friends c. yet if they cannot say God is my God all is vanity the whole man is this to have God to be our God this is the whole man to feare God keep his Commandements Eccles. 1â—… lâ—…st If a man have all the world and have not God for his God all is but vanity and vexation of spirit never rest therefore till wee can proove our selves to be in the Covenant of grace till we can say God is my God But secondly when wee have found God to be our God then make this use of it a use of resolution is God my God then I will resolve to please him though all creatures bee against me this was their resolution in the 4. Micah Every Nation walketh in the name of his God but we will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever resolve with Ioshuah and others to please God whosoever saith the contrarie to walke after the Commandements of God whatsoever others do or say In all discouragements from men or Devils let us set this as a buckler God is my God Arme our selves with resolution against all feares and threatnings of men of men of terrour against the Arme of flesh they say they will doe this and this I but God is my God all that they doe they must doe in his strength Arme our selves with this against the power and gates of hell feare not the Devill if wee feare man or Devill more then God feare them so as to doe any thing to displease God we make them God If our conscience rightly tells us that what is to be done by us is the will and command of God and that herein I serve God wee need not feare any opposer but oppose this as an Armour of proofe against all creatures against all discouragements whatsoever And certainely experience telleth us and approoveth it to be true that nothing can dismay a man that doth things in conscience to God and knowes God will beare him out in it though not from danger in this world and yet for the most part he doth that too those that are the stoutest men for God are oftentimes most safe alwayes freed from inward dejection yet God disposeth of it so as that he that keepes a good conscience shall alwayes be a King and rule over the world and therein hee performes his promise whatsoever discouragements hee endureth outwardly yet no discouragement can cast downe that soule that lookes to God In his conscience hee knowes that he takes God to be his that hee serveth him and that it shall goe well with him at last that God will be Alsufficient to him and this rayseth him above all makes him rule and raign over his enemies and be a terror to those that doe him hurt Againe if God be our God then let this stop all base and covetous desires after earthly things if God be our portion why should we grapple too much after the world then what need we cracke our consciences and breake our peace for the mucke of the world is not God our portion is he not rich enough is not hee Lord of heaven and earth hath not hee promised that hee will not faile us nor forsake us I am thy exceeding great reward saith God to Abraham is not this enough what doth Satan for us when hee getteth us to crack our consciences by griplenesse after earthly things hee promiseth thou shalt have this and that but I will take God from thee as he did Adam in Paradise thou shalt have an Apple but thou shalt loose thy God All his solicitations to base and earthly courses tend to nothing else but to take God from us Now when God is our God and he hath promised to be our portion let it be sufficient for us let us not for the displeasing of him take any condition from Satan or the world upon any termes Againe if so be wee know this for a truth that God is our God then let it be a use of exhortation to stir us up to keep and maintaine and cherish acquaintance and familiarity with him as it is in Iob. 22. Acquaint thy self with God if we be acquainted with him now hee will be acquainted with us in time of sorrow in the houre of death therefore cherish acquaintance with him wheresoever wee may meete with God be there much bee much in aring inreceiving the Sacrament in praying to him and making our suits known to him in all our necessities be much in the society of Saints God hath promised to be there therefore cherish the society of all that are good what a friendly course doth God take with us he seekes for our acquaintance and therefore giveth us his Ordinances the Word and Sacraments sendeth his messengers the good motions of his Spirit to our hearts to leave the world and vanities of it to make us out of love with bad courses and joyne with him in friendship and familiarity oh let us make use of these blessed meanes checke not these good motions but yeeld unto them and obey them grieve them not the Spirit is sent to make God and us friends who were enemies grieve not the Spirit entertaine his motions that we may be acquainted with God But doe we doe so truly no indeed if God will be our God to save us and let us live in our swearing and lying and deceiving and in other base courses wee would be content with him upon these tearmes but to be our God so that wee must serve him and love him and feare him and joy in him above all and have nothing in the world without his favour then let him take his favour to himselfe wee will have none of it though men speak it not with their mouths to the world yet the inward speech of their hearts is to this purpose if wee must bee the people of God upon these tearmes to renounce our pleasures and profits let him bee a God to whom he will for us if he will save us then welcome his favour we will bee glad of his acquaintance otherwise we will have none of it what is the speech of the world but this these men when they shall at the day of judgement clayme acquaintance with God and say Lord Lord open to us wee have knowne thee in the streetes c. what will God say depart from me you workers of iniquity I know you not you were acquainted with me indeed outwardly in the ministery of my word but you kept not an inward and spirituall familiarity with me in my
the Covenant of grace they are operative and working when he commands us to beleeve and obey he gives us grace to beleeve and obey It is our selves that answere but not from our selves but from grace yet notwithstanding let us make this use of it letus search our selves though it be not from our selves that we answere Gods promise by faith and his command by obedience yet we must have this obedience though from him before we can challenge any thing at Gods hands It is arrogant presumption to hope for Heaven and Salvation before we have grace to answere all Gods promises and commands by a good conscience To come more particularly to the words some will have it the Questioning the Demand of a good Conscience but that followes the other For when wee answere truely the interrogatories in Baptisme when we beleeve and renounce then we may from a good conscience demand of God all the good in Christ we may cal upon him pray unto him hath not Christ died and made peace betweene thee and us And may we not triumph against all enemies when there is the answere of a good Conscience If Sathan lay any thing to our charge Christ died and rose and sits at the right hand of God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods people We may with a heart sprinkled with the blood of Christ now ascended into heaven answere all objections and triumph against all enemies wee may goe boldly to God and demand the performance of his promises Hence comes all the spirit of boldnesse in prayer from the answere of a good Conscience for that drawes all other after it Now to come more particularly to the words The answere of a good Conscience It would take up all the time to speake of Conscience in generall and it were not to much purpose I will take it as it serves my purpose at this time A good conscience in this place is a Conscience peaceable and gracious peace and purity make up a good Conscience To make this clearer there be three degrees of a good Conscience though the last bee here meant especially There is first a good Conscience that is troubled a troubled good Conscience and then a pacified good Conscience and then a gracious good Conscience A troubled good Conscience is when the spirit by conviction opens to us what we are in our selves he opens our sins and the danger and soulnesse of our sins whereupon our Conscience is terrified and affrighted Therefore this good Conscience whereby we are convinced of our estate by nature in itselfe it is a good Conscience and tends to good for it tends to drive us to Christ. There is a good Conscience therefore that hath terrour with it The second degree of a good conscience is that that comes from the other when we are convinced of sinne and of the Miserie that coms by sinne then that good conscience speakes peace to us when God shines upon the conscience by his spirit from whence there is peace that is a peaceable good conscience For God takes this course after he hath terrified conscience by his spirit and word then he offers in the Gospell and not onely offers but commands us to beleeve he offers all good in Christ and commands us not only so but invites us Come unto me all ye that are wearie c. Nay he beseecheth us We beseech you to be reconciled he takes all courses Now his spirit going with these intreaties he perswades the soule that he is our gracious Father in Christ Iesus Christ hath suffered such great things and he is God and man he is willing and able to save us Considering he is annoynted of God for this purpose hereupon conscience is satisfied and doth willingly yeeld to these gracious promises it yeelds to this command of beleeving to these sweet invitings This is a peaceable good Conscience Hereupon comes in the third place a gracious good conscience which is a conscience after we have beleeved that resolves to please God in all things as the Apostle saith Heb. 13. We have a good Conscience studying to please God in all things we have a good conscience toward God and toward men When the conscience is appeased and quieted then it is fit to serve God as an instrument that is in tune An instrument out of tune yeelds nothing but harsh Musique so when the soule and conscience is distempered and not set at peace it is not gracious So now you see the order there is a troubled good conscience and a peaceable good conscience and then a gracious heart forwhile conscience is not at peace by the blood and resurrection of Iesus Christ by considering him and by application of him there is no grace nor service of God with that heart but the heart shuns God it hates God and murmurs against God men thinke why should they doe good deeds when they beleeve not when they cast not themselves upon Christ and when conscience is not sprinkled with the blood of Christ they are able to doe nothing out of the love of God and whatsoever is not of faith and love it is sinne The heart cannot but be afraid of God and wish there were no God and murmur and repine till it be pacified That is the reason why the Apostles in the latter part of their Epistles they presse conscience of good duties when they had taught Christians before and stablished them in Christ because all duties issue from faith if they come not thence they are nothing if there be first faith in Christ then there will be a good conscience in our lives and conversations And from the gracious conscience comes the increase of a peaceable conscience there must be peace before we can graciously renew our Covenants to please God but when we have both these faith in Christ and a resolution to please God in all things there comes an increase of peace for then there is an argument to satisfie conscience when first of all conscience goes to Christ to the foundation I have answered Gods command I have beleeved and cast my selfe upon Christ I have answered Gods promise he hath promised if I doe so he will give me Christ with all his Benefits I have yeelded the obedience of faith hereupon comes some comfort here is the foundation of this obedience But then when Conscience likewise from this resolves to please God in all things in the duties to God and man hereupon comes another increase of peace when I looke to the life of grace in my owne heart For a working carefull Christian hath a double ground of comfort One in the command to beleeve and in the promise whether he hath evidences of grace or no but when he hath power by the spirit to lead a godly life and to keepe a good conscience in all things then he hath comfort from the evidence of grace in his owne heart from whence
an increase of peace comes You see what a good conscience is here in this place the answer of a good conscience I will not speake largely of it To come a little further to the point How know we that a man hath a good conscience a peaceable good conscience when it is troubled For here is the difficultie a conscience is never so peaceable and gracious but there is a principle of rebellion in us the flesh that casts in doubtings and stirres up objections as indeed our flesh is full of objections against Gods divine truth there be seeds of infidelitie to every promise and of rebellion to every command in the word How shall a man know that hee hath a peaceable good Conscience in the middest of this rebellion Let him looke if the conscience answer God in the middest of opposition and rebellion my flesh and blood saith thus my sins are great and Sathan layes it hard to my charge yet notwithstanding because God hath promised and commanded I cast my selfe upon God Let us aske our owne hearts and consciences what they say to God what is the answere to God Wee see what Iob saith Though he kill me yet I will trust in him flesh and blood would have shewed its part in Iob as if God had neither respected nor loved him yet when Iob recovered himselfe Though hee kill me I will trust in him So a man may know though conscience be somewhat troubled yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience if peace get the upper hand and grace subdue corruption when the conscience so farre as it is enlarged by Gods spirit can check it selfe Why art thou disquieted oh my soule why art thou troubled trust in God trust in God reconciled now in Christ when conscience can lay a charge upon it selfe and check it selfe thus it is a signe that conscience hath made this gracious answer Againe one may know though conscience be troubled somewhat yet it is a gracious peaceable conscience when it alwayes allowes of the truth of God in the inward man Whatsoever the flesh say the word is good the commandement is good the promise is good as St. Paul saith I allow the law of God in my inward man by this a man may know though his peace be somewhat troubled that yet notwithstanding there is the answer of a good conscience Againe when a man can breake out of trouble and such an estate as the Divell weakens our faith by for he useth the troubles of the Church and our owne troubles to shake our faith as if God did not regard us now when conscience can rise out of this as in Psal. 73. Yet God is good to Israel yet my soule keepe silence to the Lord though things seeme to goe contrarie to a man as if God were not reconciled as if he had not part in Christ Yet my soule keepe silence and God is good to Israel This conflict shews that there is a gracious part in the soule and that conscience is a gracious conscience It is said here it is the answer of a good conscience Towards God For conscience indeed hath reference to God and that will answer another question for conscience as it performes holie duties as it is a gracious conscience it lookes to God whether may a man know or how shall he know that he doth things of conscience whether he be in the state of grace and doth things graciously He may for why is conscience set in man but to tell him what he doth with what mind he doth it in what state he is this is a power of the soule which conscience shewes A man may know what estate he is in and whether he performe things graciously or no Now how shall a man know whether he doth things of conscience or no First whatsoever the answer of conscience is it is towards God if a man doe things from reasons of Religion if a man be charitable to his neighbour if he be just and good if it be from reasons of Religion because God commands him this is a good conscience A good conscience respects God and his command What we doe for company or for custome is not from a good conscience A good conscience doth things from God with reasons from God because he commands it it is Gods deputie in our hearts Againe what we doe from a good conscience we doe from the inward man from an inward principle from the inward judgement because we thinke it is so and from an inward affection When we have not a right judgement of what we doe and doe it not out of love and from the inward man we doe it not out of a good conscience what is done out of conscience is done from the inner man Therefore in all our performances let us examine our selves not what we doe but upon what ground we doe it in conscience to God to obey him in all things I cannot dwell upon these things The answer of a good conscience that saves us together with Baptisme when there is the answer of a good conscience then Baptisme seales salvation To come more neere to the answer of a good conscience in Baptisme You will object if the answer of a good conscience in Baptisme doe all and not the outward washing of the body why are Children Baptised then they cannot make the answer of a good conscience I answer the place must be understood of those of yeares of discretion For infants that dye in their infancie we have a double ground of comfort concerning them First they are within the Covenant have they not received the seale of the Covenant which is Baptisme And how-ever they actually answer not the Covenant of grace by actuall beleeving yet they have the seed of beleeving the spirit of God in them and God doth comprehend them by his mercie being not able to comprehend him nay we that are at yeares of discretion are saved by Gods comprehending and imbracing us we are comprehended of him as the Child is of the nurse or of the Mother The Child holds the nurse and the nurse the Child the Child is more safe from falling by the nurse and the Mothers holding of it then by its holding of them Those that are at yeares must claspe and graspe about Christ but Christ holds and comprehends them much more doth God comprehend those that are Children that are not able to comprehend him For those that live to yeares of discretion their Baptisme is anngagement and obligation to them to beleev because they have undertaken by those that answered for them to beleeve when they come to yeares and if when they come to yeares they answer not the Covenant of grace and the answer of a good conscience if they doe not beleeve and renounce Sathan all is frustrate their Baptisme doth them no good if they make not good their Covenant by beleeving and renouncing It is
speakes of it as if they had a murderous intention and in the event and issue it is a kind of murther As with a sword in my bones my enemies reproach me c. This sword were but words he is a murtherer in Gods esteeme and so it will prove if hee repent not that wounds another man with his tongue for what doth the Holy Ghost here in David doth he not set out words by swords Is it not oft in the Psalmes Their words are as swords the poyson of Aspes is under their lipps There is an excellent place you have for this in Prov. 12. 18. There is that speakes like the piercing of a sword but the tongue of the wise is health A good man hath a healing tongue hee hath a medicinall salving tongue but a wicked man his words are as swords and as he â—…aith here their speaking is as the piercing of a sword Therefore hence let us learne not to think our selves free from murther when we have killed no body or free from adultery when wee are free from the grosse act this is but a pharisaicall glosse upon the commandements but if wee will understand the commandements of God as they are to bee understood wee must inlarge them as the Scripture inlargeth them he that prejudiceth the life and comfort of any man hec is a murtherer of him in Gods esteeme and he that labours to cut another man to the heart with sharpe piercing words in Gods esteeme he is a murtherer Those that though among men they cannot say blacke is their eye and pride themselves as if they were very religious men yet notwithstanding they are men that are not wanting of their tongues men that care not to speake bitterly and sharpely of others if they did consider of this it would take them downe and make them thinke a little meaner of themselves when indeed in Gods construction they are little better their murtherers As with a sword in my bones mine enemies reproach me while they say to me daily where is thy God So much for these words FINIS The TABLE A Acquaintance ACquaintance with God to be maintained part 2 p. 143 Affection Affections trie our estates 1 264 Affections wanting shew want of faith 1 269 To shame our selves in want of Affections 1 271 To pray for Affections 1 272 Affections to be kept tender 1 278 Affections why sometimes dead 1 285 See Hatred Answer see Conscience Appearing Two appearings of Christ. 2 18 Application Application the ground of obedience 1 149 Necessity of Application 1 151 Principle of Application 1 153 To begge the spirit of Application 1 154 Danger in want of Application 1 156 Arke 〈◊〉 Baptisme Assurance How to know our estate in want of Assurance 1 240 B Baptisme Want of baptisme no prejudice to salvation p. a. pag. 157 Ground of baptising Infants 2 158 Aggravation of sins after Baptisme 2 162 The Arke a figure of Baptisme 2 170 Parts of Baptisme 2 172 Children why Baptised 2 190 Baptisme binds 2 191 Covenant in Baptisme 2 192 What sins renounce baptisme Ibid. How to make use of our baptisme 2 195 Beast The Beast who 1 7 The Beast and Dragon resembled 1 10 State of Rome the Beast why 1 13 Beasts ill carriage towards Kings 1 40 To further the destruction of the Beast 1 49 The Beast shall fall 1 51 See Hatred Body Not to satisfie the lusts of the body 2 44 Our bodyes shall be glorious 2 51 How to use our bodyes 2 52 Glory of the body in sixe things 2 53 To abase our bodyes for Christ. 2 57 How to know our bodyes shall bee glorious 2 60 See Vile God to be sought betimes 1 187 Blessing see Ministers C Man a changeable creature 2 46 God punisheth parents in their children 1 110 God the God of our children 2 157 Parents to bee good for their childrens sake 2 159 Comfort to those that leave little to their children 2 160 All our good first in Christ. 2 32 49 To be thankfull for Christ. 2 50 To make use of what is in Christ. 2 179 To thinke of Gods love in Christ. 1 278 See covenant Difference between Christians and others 1 92 Come To thinke oft of the times to come 2 66 Comfort Double ground of comfort 2 186 See Death Children Communion Mans happinesse in communion with God 2 108 Communicative Gods goodnesse communicative 1 142 Confidence Issue of false confidence dangerous 1 63 False confidence overturned 1 66 Conscience Demand of conscience whence 2 182 Good conscience what 2 183 3. Degrees of a good conscience 2 184 Conscience good that is troubled 2 187 How to know we doe things from a good conscience 2 189 To get the answer of a good conscience 2 193 Comfort from the answer of a good conscience 2 199 Conviction Conviction double 1 236 Corruption How to set against our corruptions 1 8â—… Corruption why not subdued at once Ibid. To strengthen faith in the fall of our corruptions 1 89 Sight of corruptions help faith 〈◊〉 230 Victory over corruptions 2 138 How to know nature is corrupted 1 270 See Iericho Country See Heaven Covenant Covenants to be renewed 2 â—…00 Covenant of workes 2 108 Covenant of grace 2 109 Covenant of grace qualities of it 2 115 Covenant of grace conditions of it 2 116 Comfort from the covenant of grace 2 254 God gives us grace to performe our covenants 2 164 Christ the foundation of the covenant of grace 2 178 Nature of the Covenant 2 180 Covenant of grace why so called 2 182 See Testament works Creature insufficient to teach the knowledge of God 1 139 Not to curse particular persons 1 105 D Death Die Death terrible 1 205 Men die as they live 1 208 A Christian how dead 2 2 Comfort in Death 2 66 Righteous and wicked die 2 74 Difference in their death 2 80 Why men want comfort in death 2 101 See first-borne faith Demand see conscience Dependance Dependance upon God 1 27 Desire To out-strippe the wicked in our desires 2 87 Difference of desires in men Ibid. Desires the best character of a Christian. 2 93 Wicked men desire not heaven aright 2 94 Directions for holy desires 2 96 God leaves not good desires 2 102 Desire of earthly things how abated 2 143 Destruction How to prevent our own destruction 1 86 Dragon see Beast Distemper Distemper hinders not Christians dying in faith 1 206 E Enemies GOD meetes with his Enemies 1 45 GODS Children have Enemies 1 214 Envie No Envie in God 1 144 Everlasting Covenant of grace everlasting 2 251 Evill How GOD hath a hand in evill 1 16 Gods providence in evill 1 19 God keepes us from doing of evill 1 25 Extremity God to bee sought in extremity 1 184 Difference of men in extremity Ibid. Eye To desire God to open our eyes 1 229 See Faith F Face Seeking Gods face what 1 174 Directions to seeke Gods face 1 179 Incouragements
to seeke Gods face 1 189 Faith Faith in the use of meanes 1 70 Faith said to do that God doth 1 71 Faith enlivens all graces 1 72 Faith strengthened by experience 1 90 Faith to be laboured for 1 94 Faith one from the beginning 1 196 Perseverance in Faith 1 197 Faith carries a Christian through all passages 1 198 To die in faith what 1 199 Faith over comes all that is terrible in death 1 201 Faith the eye of it 1 218 Faith seeth afar off how 1 219 Sight of faith how to help it 1 228 Two branches of faith 1 262 Faithâ—…w â—…w cherished 2 65 Faith of Christians how shaken 2 218 Faith to be strengthened 2 220 Farre see Faith Favour Favour of God to bee sought first 1 181 Feare How to know God is ours by feare 2 125 Feeling Christians may want feeling 1 207 First-borne Death of the first-borne a great judgment 1 110 Free Freedome in sin a judgment 1 22 Covenant of grace free 2 249 See Will. G Glory Glorious God gets glory by weake meanes 1 68 Why wee shall bee glorious with Christ. 2 19 Wherein that glory shall be 2 21 When the Saints shall be glorified 2 23 To think of the glory to come 2 25 Glory why revealed before-hand 〈◊〉 28 See Body God Two things wherin we are like God 1 144 What it is for God to be our God 2 117 God ours in the covenant of grace 2 120 How to know God is our God 2 121 To labour that God may be our God 2 140 To make use of all in God as ours 2 143 Goodnesse God is willing to bestow his goodnesse 1 143 See Communicative Gospell Punishment of slighting the Gospell 1. 43 Grace see Covenant Guidance Guidance of God to be prayed for 1 24 H Happinesse Wicked men out-live their happines 2 78 Happines of the godly 2 80 Wicked men may know the happinesse of Gods children 2 84 Hatred Affection of hatred due to the beast 1 47 Heaven Heaven the country of a Christian. 1 292 See desire Hid hidden The life of a Christian hidden 2 4 God sometimes hides himselfe 2 223 Hope see Faith I Satans kingdome like the walls of Iericho 1 73 Our corruptions like the walles of Iericho 1 74 Antichrists kingdom like the wals of Iericho 1 75 Meanes to east downe mysticall Iericho 1 78 How to prevent the building of spirituall Iericho 1 80 120 Iericho why not to be built againe 1 106 How men build Iericho againe 1 114 118 Imbrace Faith imbraceth what it hath 1 259 Imbracing followeth perswasion 1 260 What affections imbrace good things 1 272 Imbracing how wrought 1 274 Ioy. Knowing God ours is our joy 2 129 Iudgement see spirituall K Kings The tenne Kings wherein sinfull 1. 28 Knowne knowledge God willing to be known 1 141 Knowledge of our estate sometime suspended 1 238 L Life Christ our life how 2 11 To improve the time of life 2 75 Life 3. degrees of it 2 82 See die hidden soule Love God knowne to be ours by our Love 2 127 M Malice see reproach False confidence over-turned by weake meanes 1 67 See Faith Blessing of Ministers to bee regarded 1 103 Ministers duty 2 176 God the only Monarch 1 26 Good Motions to be cherished 2 99 N 3. Things in man by Nature 1 64 O Quality of obedience 1 160 Obedience sutable to the command 1 164 To know God is ours by our obedience 2 131 God to be sought in his Ordinances 1 186 Men give too much to Outward worship 2 172 Why men are prone to Outward performances 2 174 Papists work their own overthrow 1 53 How to set against Popery 1 87 Popery how it sprung up 1 117 Covenant of grace Peculiar 2 252 Perswasion followes sight 121 Perswasion what 1 233 Perswasion degrees of it 1 235 Perswasion spirituall necessary 1 236 Perswasion particular sometimes weake 1 237 Perswasion how to know it is not supernaturall 2 242 Perswasion wrought by the spirit 1 247 How the spirit doth perswade 1 248 The manner of working perswasion 1 250 A strong worke to perswade the soule 1 251 To labour for spirituall perswasion 1 253 To desire God to perswade us 1 256 Evidences that we are perswaded 1 257 Persons see Curse Pilgrims Difference betweene Pilgrims and strangers 1 289 To resolve to please God 2 141 Power see Truth To know God is ours by our prayer 2 134 Preaching the force of it 1 78 Presence of God how considered 1 171 Things as present affect us 1 218 Promises to alleage them to God 1 167 God deales with men by promises 1 210 Faith lookes to God by the Promises 1 211 Promises oft to be thought on 2 13 Proportion see Punishment Providence see Evill Punishment proportionable to sin 1 109 R Religion disgraced how it affects us 2 132 Reproach the expression of malice 2 216 Not to be cast downe for reproach Ibid. David sensible of reproach 2 228 God doth not reveale all things at all times 1 215 Righteous man who 2 84 S See Sight Things requisite to sight 1 222 Sight of faith necessary 1 223 3. Things in strong sight 1 224 See Faith perswasion Mercies and judgments apprehended in our seed 2 156 To seeke GOD by his strength 1 158 Seeking what it doth implie 1 170 Ground of seeking of God 1 171 See Strength betimes face Sensible see reproach Sentence of Christ unavoydable 1 132 Men must not appoint how to serve God 1 138 Sinne considered in three times 1 17 Soule made for heavenly things 1 267 Love of earthly things abase the Soule 1 268 Soule how quieted Ibid. Soule continues after death 2 74 Life of the Soule double Ibid. How to use our Soules 2 75 Spirit Spirituall Spirituall judgements greatest 1 22 Order of the Spirits working 1 217 To begge the Spirit to perswade us 1 254 Stranger Gods people strangers here 1 290 CHRIST a stranger on earth 1 294 To have the affections of strangers 1 295 Wicked men how strangers here 1 297 Carriage of a stranger 1 300 See Pilgrim Strike see threaten The covenant of grace sure 2 250 T Covenant of grace a Testament 2 110 Difference of a covenant and Testament Ibid. To be thankfull for that we have 1 215 God threatensâ—…re â—…re he strike 1 108 Wickednes shall nos alway thrive 1 47 To tremble at Gods word 1 133 Men naturally trust soâ—…what 1 62 Try all of our trust 1 65 How to know GOD ours by trust 2 129 Truth of God 1 150 Faith looks to Gods power truth 1 224 V The best mens bodyes vile in this world 2 40 God revealed to man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understanding creature 2 107 Our nature prone to unthankefulnes 2 116 W To goe to Christ in all wants 2 15 Degrees of wicked men 2 86 Will of man free in sinne 1 20 To be left to our owâ—… will a great judgement 1 21 Will when accepted for